The Tale of a Dragon
by Dragon of Silver
Summary: Draco Malfoy decided to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him is finally making Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor. Slash. Complete.
1. Some Things Hurt More Then Others

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch1: Some Things Hurt More Than Others 

Draco Malfoy stood in his extravagantly furnished bedroom on the third story of The Malfoy Manor, studying himself in his full-length mirror. He wore a black shirt, which made him look even paler than normal, as impossible as that sounds. He looked much to pale than he would have liked since his skin had become at least three shades lighter during the summer holidays.

He looked at his watch; it was almost nine in the morning. Draco used a simple levitation spell to get his trunk off his bed, down the hall, down the huge staircase and into the entrance hall where he set it down next to a hat stand. In the stand was a black cane with a silver snakehead on the top, which could only mean one thing; Lucius Malfoy, his father, had broken out of Azkaban. Draco swallowed nervously as he stared into the snake's eyes, fearing the worst. He heard someone coming up behind him.

"Draco." He turned to face Narcissa Malfoy, his mother. "Your father wants to speak to you. Now." She turned on her heal and strode into the living room with her nose in the air.

Lucius stood in front of the fireplace with his hands folded behind his back. Narcissa moved over to the left side of Lucius about one step behind him and rested her hand on the mahogany frame of the fireplace. Draco stood up straight and looked Lucius in the face, but didn't look him in the eye, as he had been taught never to look a superior in the eye. He also kept his face completely void of emotions because, as his father put it, 'emotions suggest feelings, feeling suggest weakness and a Malfoy never shows weakness'.

"Draco," his father said coldly, " I have just come from a meeting with The Dark Lord, and he feels that you are now old enough to join the ranks of the Deatheaters. You will receive your Darkmark during the Christmas holidays." His tone became even colder, "this is a very prestigious honour and you will accept it. It is your duty as a Malfoy to be as helpful to the Dark Lord as you possibly can. To prove yourself to be loyal, this year when you arrive at Hogwarts, you must do your best to find everything out about The Order of the Phoenix. You will send the updates to me, and I will send them directly to the Dark Lord."

Draco couldn't control himself any longer. "But I don't want to be a Deatheater." Narcissa gasped while Lucius's eyes narrowed.

"What did you say?" He hissed.

"I-I" Draco was starting to get nervous now. "I don't w-want to be a Deatheater." His voice was getting smaller and smaller by the second. He feared his Lucius's anger more than anything else.

"You will do as The Dark Lord wants" Lucius spat back. "Or you will suffer the wrath of both him as well as myself." He brought his hand up and backhanded Draco on side on his face. Draco started to fall sideways as Lucius kicked his feet out from underneath him. He instinctively turned forward and put his arms out. Draco felt one of the bones break in his arm and he smashed the side of his forehead into the coffee table. Tears threatened to spill, but he reminded himself that 'Malfoys do not cry', and held them back.

"Shame of our flesh, isn't he dear?" Muttered Lucius to his wife as they left.

"Yes, but you must remember, he hasn't always been a blood-traitor."

Draco closed his eyes and tried to push himself up with his good arm. He eventually made his way to one of the plush couches and collapsed into it breathing deeply to prevent himself from crying; he hadn't cried since he was seven, and he wasn't going to start again now. He got his wand out of his pocket then shakily pointed it at his arm. Draco wasn't the best at healing spells so even though he fixed the gash on his head, he still had a throbbing headache, and he did manage to fix the bone in his arm, but there was a huge bruise that looked almost black. There was a big purple and blue bruise on his right cheekbone, which he hid in the shadows by putting his hood up and keeping his head down, just in case someone noticed.

On the train Draco did his best to push his trunk into the luggage rack, but his sore arm prevented him from getting it up properly. He decided to levitate it up and he wondered why he didn't think of doing that before he strained his arm that much. He stalked off to the Head Boy/Girl compartment, to get the list of things he needed to do before they got to Hogwarts.

The compartment was very well decorated in all the house colours (red, yellow, blue, green, gold, black, bronze and silver) and had a feeling of superiority to it. Draco sat in a black armchair opposite Hermione Granger, who was Head Girl. Draco kept his gaze focused on the floor, about a foot to the left of the door. A few minutes after the train had started moving, two envelopes appeared on the table in between the Gryffindor and the Slytherin, one had a green boarder and the other's boarder was red. Draco's hand automatically reached for the green-boarded one, Hermione's to the red-boarded envelope. They opened their-own and read in silence.

_Mr D. Malfoy_

_Congratulations on becoming Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Head Boy from the month of September too the month of July. Inclosed is a list of your duties that need to be carried out, in order, before the 7th of September._

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

_(Deputy Headmistress)_

_-Remind the Fifth and Sixth-year Prefects that at least two of them from each house must show the First-years to their dormitories._

_-Inform the Sixth-year Prefects that The Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor will be: Professor K. E. Fable_

_-Make sure the house elves haven't made any mistakes while placing the student's luggage in their rooms in the Ravenclaw and Slytherin houses._

_-Determine which would be the best times for which The Prefects to do the 'Prefect Patrol' that doesn't get in the way of their timetables._

_As Head Boy you must set an example for the entire student body by behaving with the utmost courtesy toward the teachers and other persons in the school for the entire school year_

_Professor Albus P. W. B. Dumbledore_

_(Headmaster)_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)_

Draco looked up slightly to see if Hermione had finished reading yet. She had, and now appeared to be re-reading it. Draco tried to find the speck he was staring at before, but was unsuccessful, so he stood up.

"We should go to The Prefects compartment now." Hermione followed him out, rolling her eyes as she did.

The whole time they were with The Prefects, Draco kept his head down and avoided looking and talking to people, he just hung around in the corner of the room next to the potted plant.

Pansy Parkinson was waiting outside the door for him to come out. As soon as he did, she flung her arms around his neck.

"Hey Drac…" He covered her mouth with his hand, then thanked his lucky stars that he had stopped her before she said the dreaded pet name she had for him; Dracy-Poo. When everyone had gone out of earshot he removed his hand. "What was that for!?"

"Pansy, you know I hate that name."

"Oh, but Dracy-P…"

"Don't you dare Pansy Parkinson! Don't you dare!" He looked her directly in the eye and her eyes shone with tears, but they vanished when her gaze shifted to his cheek.

"What happened there?"

"That's none of your business." He spat. He took a deep breath to calm himself, he was starting to sound too much like his father than he would have liked. "Look, Pansy, why don't you go get changed now? I'll find us a compartment up the front. Ok?'

"Yeah sure."

Pansy walked off and Draco headed to the back of the train and didn't stop or look up until he was standing in front of the compartment where he had put his trunk. Five Gryffindors had clamed the compartment for themselves. Two were the same ones that always took his compartment out of spite, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. Draco never wanted to pick fights with them, but it was his pride and reputation that forced him too.

Draco slid the door open and was planning to ask if he could get his trunk. Everyone stood and got out their wands, Draco eyed them warily.

"Is little Malfoy scared?" mocked Ginny. In that one sentence she had insulted him more than she would ever know. Not only had he threatened his pride and questioned his bravery, but he had also judged him by his family by using his last name. Draco hated to be called a Malfoy.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. The golden trio, Weaslette and the squib."

Ginny's face went red with anger. It matched her hair very well. "Neville is not a squib!"

"You know what? You're right; he's not a squib. He doesn't even have an excuse for being so pathetic. He even needs his girlfriend to stand up for him." Several people's knuckles were going white. "But I suppose it's in the blood really. His parents couldn't defend themselves either." By now everyone's wand was at Draco's throat. "But then again. Maybe it's just Gryffindor's in general. They're all too proud of themselves to know when to give up. Sirius Black is the perfect example of that."

"Go! Now!" Harry's wand was now touching Draco's throat, being held by a shaking hand. His bright green eyes looked unnaturally shiny and Draco knew he had taken it too far, and he was about to leave, but once again, his pride wouldn't let him. He couldn't just walk away on Harry's command

"What's the matter Malfoy?" Hermione spat. "Don't look so tough without your body guards."

"Watch yourself Mudblood." Draco turned and left, closing the door quickly behind him as a spell bounced off it. He walked four paces before leaning against the wall and closing his eyes. _''To proud to know when to give up.' Man I'm such a hypocrite.'_

As Draco stood there, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't forget the look that was in Harry's eyes. It was a look of anger, however pain, sadness and loneliness were dominant. A wave of guilt washed over Draco and he contemplated going back in and apologising, but he knew they wouldn't believe he was sorry, even though he truly was.

Draco made a discission; He wasn't going to annoy Harry for the rest of the year. The last thing Harry needed was to be reminded of, was all the deaths that had happened in his life. Draco had overheard detailed accounts of what had happened to them all: James and Lily Potter, Cerdric Diggory, Sirius Black, Bill Weasley, Nympadora Tonks and probably more that he hadn't heard about. Frank and Alice Longbottom had been tortured into insanity and Remus Lupin was in a coma and no one could find the last ingredient to the potion that would help him.

Draco finally pushed himself off the wall and went to find Pansy; maybe she could get his mind off everything. He didn't end up finding her and he sat for the whole train ride by himself, a lot more depressed then he originally was. He barely managed too not let even one tear fall.


	2. Old Friends Are Silver, And New Ones Are...

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch2: Old Friends Are Silver, And New Ones Are Gold.

Professor Fable had long light brown curly hair, one bright sky blue eye, one bright lime green eye and a slightly round body in tie-dye robes of dark green, purple, pink, blue and yellow (also white, obviously). When she lent over to say something to Snape, Draco noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Draco pointed this out to all the people around him, Blaise Zabini started staring into space and Draco could have sworn he heard Blaise mutter 'I wish my girlfriend wouldn't wear her bra.'

As the first years were sorted Draco stared wishfully at his plate, and was silently longing his plate would fill up with food when Dumbledore made his announcements. There was nothing important anyway because if there was, Draco would have heard about it from his father. Lucius always expected Draco to parade their wealth and power around.

Draco cursed himself for being too depressed to eat on the train and was about to eat his napkin in desperation, but was saved by the pales filling up and everyone at the Slytherin table sighing in relief. Draco picked up his silver cutlery and started eating like there was no tomorrow. Halfway through his second helping Blaise started talking to him, Draco looked up but was distracted by something on the other side of the room, at the Gryffindor table. Harry was sitting with his hands in his lap, his gold cutlery untouched and his eyes downcast.

Draco pushed his plate away, cursing everyone for everything; he had suddenly lost his appetite.

* * *

"Harry, what's up? You've barely eaten" 

"Barely eaten! Ron, he hasn't eaten anything."

"It's the same thing."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!!"

"No it's not!!"

"SHUT UP!!" Ginny threw down her gold knife and fork. "Stop fighting! It's driving me insane!" She pointed her finger threateningly at Ron, "I hope you didn't act this way around Hermione's parents."

Harry slowly lifted his head to look Ron in the eyes. "Did you go over to Hermione's house?" His voice had a slight menacing edge to it. He had been left at his aunt and uncle's house the entire holidays and no one had written to him to explain what had been going on. He had been true to his word and written to The Order every second or third day, but had never gotten a word in return.

Now it was Ron's turn to look at his plate. "Umm…I…Err…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry's voice was almost emotionless, which probably made it even more unsettling.

"Ron and I were going to tell you Harry. We're going out. He came over so my parents could 'approve' of him."

Several moments past in silence before Harry spoke again, "Why didn't anyone owl me?"

"I was going to Harry. I'm sorry" Put in Ginny. She put her hand comfortingly on his, but he pulled it away. She looked a little put out, but continued never the less. "Percy came back, almost crawling on his knees, begging for forgiveness about a week into the holidays. Apparently he felt guilty about Bill's death. It took more than a month for Dad to forgive him. We were kinda distracted. I'm so, so sorry Harry. Dumbledore said that you had enough things to think about so we shouldn't tell you." She finished with tears building up in her eyes.

Harry hadn't told any of them about the prophecy, and was not going too any time soon. Anyway, it sounded like they had 'enough things to think about'. He went back to looking at his plate as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. Though it didn't seem at all possible, Harry felt more alone at that moment then he ever had. Both his 'friend' had forgotten about him because of their family and partners. He had neither. All because of a stupid prophesy.

A few people started leaving early so, not bothering to excuse himself, Harry got up and followed them out, leaving three guilty looking people behind at the Gryffindor table.

* * *

Draco watched as Harry slowly walked out of the room. 

"Draco. Draco!" Blaise snapped his fingers in front of Draco's face in a desperate attempt to get his attention. "Snap out of it man. What's with you today?"

"Nothing." Snapped Draco, more then a little too quickly. "What's with you?"

"Great response Draco, great response." He clapped sarcastically. "There is something wrong. I've known you for about seven years, since before we came to Hogwarts. I've never seen you like this."

"Stop being such a bloody drama queen. There. Is. Nothing. Wrong. Get off my back about it." Draco stood up and stormed out of the hall. He didn't realize he was carrying his silver fork until he was in his private dorm, where he put it in the draw where he kept his muggle clothes.

Draco's room had light grey walls and mink fur carpet, which had been dyed dark forest green. It was elegantly furnished in black, silver and green and had snake and ivy patterns on the wardrobe, headboard, fireplace, desk, curtains and picture frames. He would never let anyone in his room, because it was his 'safety zone' where he felt safe from everything in the world surrounding it.

He was even more reluctant to let anyone in his bed (despite his reputation). His bed was just big enough to fit two people in it and was definitely not the biggest that he could afford. He would often just curl up under the blankets and think.

Draco crawled under his blankets and rested his head on his pillows. '_I shouldn't have snapped at Blaise like that. He was only trying to help, and he is my oldest friend. Only friend more like. He should really learn when not to be an arse though.'_ Slowly, Draco fell asleep.

* * *

"It's a good thing it's the weekend so we can get this done." 

"Look, Granger." Draco leaned over the library table to intimidate Hermione, who was sitting opposite him. "I don't particularly want to be here, so I would like to get this done as quickly as possible so I can get out of here. No small talk… please." He added as an afterthought.

"Fine. But just so you know, you stuffed up on Luna's patrol times. You have her patrolling the first floor and the forth floor at the same time she's supposed to have DA." Dumbledore's Army had become an official club of the school, but everyone who wanted to join had to be interviewed by Harry, Ron and Hermione to make sure they weren't going to use their magic for dark purposes, naturally that meant that none of the Slytherins couldn't get in.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll change it." Draco scribbled something out on the piece of parchment in front of him.

"Are you ok? You seem… I don't know."

Draco's temper started coming up to the surface again. Why were people insisting that there was something wrong and that he was acting different? "Oh, halleluiah. Miss know-it-all doesn't know something for once."

"Draco, don't you think we should have a temporary truce since we're going to be head boy and girl together? It would make life so much easier."

Draco thought about it for a second. It would make everything easier and it couldn't hurt him if they actually became friends. "Sure." He held out his hand to Hermione, who looked taken back. "Truce."

They shook hands briefly before Draco saw two figures coming towards them out of the corner of his eye. He stood up quickly when they got close enough for him to see a mass or messy black hair. Draco scooped the large pile of parchments up into his arms and said quickly, "See you tomorrow." He managed a weak smile in Hermione's direction before he turned around and pushed past Harry and Ron.

"Watch where your going Malfoy." Draco chose to ignore what they had said and instead keep walking towards the library exit with his nose slightly in the air, to show he wasn't affected by what they said.

"Arrogant bastard." Muttered Ron as he sat down in Draco's empty seat. Harry pulled one up from another table and earned a look from Madam Pince when it made a screeching noise on the floor. He sat on it backwards with his hands resting on the top of the backrest and his chin on his hands.

"Ron! He may be arrogant, but I don't think he's a bastard."

"Did you just say what I though you just said? You're the one who slapped him in our third year."

"Oh, honestly." Hermione got up and left. After a few minutes of walking she found Draco crouched in a corridor with his parchments scattered across the ground. She bent down to help him pick them up. Most were covered in black coloured ink and Draco had splatters over his face and neck. "Here" She put the parchments she had picked up on top of the ones Draco had already gathered.

She pushed her sleave over her hand and wiped some of the ink off his face, when she went to wipe some off his neck he dropped all his stuff again and pinned her against the wall.

"Don't touch my neck." He had a weird thing about people touching his neck and throat, it had started when he was young and had been told about vampires for the first time. Since then the only person who had managed to touch his neck, without Draco pushing or punching them, was his father who often grabbed it in a pincer-like grip to force him to do things he didn't want to do.

"I-I'm sorry." Said Hermione in a small voice, clearly she was scared. At that moment Ron and Harry came around the corner looking for Hermione. Draco knew that him pinning Hermione to the wall would definitely give them the wrong impression.

"What F--- are you doing to her!?" Shouted Ron, his fists clenched.

'_They're not going to believe me even if I told the truth._' It wasn't the first time Draco had though that. "Nothing that concerns you weasel."

Harry muttered something under his breath and it sent a violet coloured light in his direction. Draco shouted an incantation and the spell reflected off him and bounced back towards Harry.

"What's going on here?" Snape had come around the corner and stopped the spell before it hit Harry.

"It's not Harry's fault Professor." Hermione said. "Malfoy provoked him."

"Harry cast the spell first off." It sounded like Snape had made a statement, but Draco knew it really was a question.

"He provoked me!"

"Fifty points from Gryffindor." The trio looked outraged. "Mr Malfoy, I need to disguss yourunusually high potionsmark. Follow me to my office."

Snape always used Draco's father as an excuse to get Draco alone, because he refused to give detentions to Slytherins when people from other houses were around. Sure enough when the door to his office closed, Snape took points and dealt out a detention.

"Fifty points from Slytherin. And you will go into The Forbidden Forest and gather these plants for me as your detention."

"How come Potter didn't get a detention?"

"Don't question me. Because I only heard your voice saying an incantation and the spell was going towards Potter, from your direction." He handed Draco a list of plants that he had to find. "You will go to detention alone, tonight."

"Why alone and why tonight?"

"Don't question me!! It is illegal for most of these plants to be mixed in a potion, and I need to get them for The Dark Lord. It must be tonight because otherwise you would have to wait another month before that plant," he pointed to a name on the list, "will flower again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now get the hell out of my office!"

* * *

**redfox13 & Rtael:** Thanks (grins)  
**manystories2lilx:** It is suposed to be rated higher. I was in a hurry so I forgot. Thanks for reminding me.  
**MysteryMadeMe:** I always have trouble with the title so thankyou. If you get rid of the 'The' in the title the initial thingy spell out Toad, I only just noticed. Yeah, it is a slash, sorry if it puts you off reading it. I like your story too, very cool. 


	3. Don't Judge A Person By Their Breed

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch3: Don't Judge A Person By Their Breed 

Draco sat in the Slytherin common room with a blank piece of parchment in front of him and a sugar quill stuck in his mouth. He hadn't looked at it before he put it in his mouth, so was unaware that his mouth was now turning a very Slytherin green from the ink he had spilt earlier on that day.

Unsure of why he had decided to send an apology owl to Hermione, he still persisted to go through with writing it, but it was hard to explain why he had slammed her into the wall.

_H. Granger_

'_It's a start._' Thought Draco. It sounded a bit too formal though, but in the other hand, they probably expected him to be formal and sound aristocratic. He hesitated for a moment before he ripped the top of the paper off in a straight cut using the edge of the table.

_Hermione,  
__I apologise for my actions earlier on today. I hope it doesn't put a dint in our _

In there what? It wasn't a friendship as such, but more of an… Acquaintanceship? But that didn't sound right. Once again he ripped the top of the page off in the same manner as before.

_Hermione,  
__I hope that what I did earlier on today will not affect us getting to know each other better. I hope you understand that I had my reasons for not wanting you to touch my neck, but I would like to keep those reasons to myself for the time being. Please accept my apologies._

He reread it a few times in his head. Satisfied, he signed his name at the bottom and got up off the couch to go the owlery. The letter was fairly sincere with out explaining too much about his life at home, or making him seem like a coward because he was afraid of Vampires. Draco couldn't help but be being impressed by the letter, because normally when he put things into words, it just didn't sound right.

* * *

Draco's owl, Alzar, flew down, landed on his master's shoulder and stuck out his leg to grab the letter Draco was holding out. 

"This goes to Granger. You'll know her when you see her. She's the one in Gryffindor with lots of bushy brown hair."

Alzar hooted in understanding and gave Draco's shoulder a little squeeze before taking off through one of the open windows.

Draco turned around and left the owlery feeling slightly less guilty then before. He started wondering wether Hermione would show the letter too the other two. He wasn't watching where he was going and ran straight into Harry.

"Hey, Malfoy, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I'm in a hurry Potter, so no." Draco kept on going down the corridor and didn't stop until he reached his room, where he lay on his bed facing the ceiling.

He couldn't deny it. He was curious about what Harry wanted to talk to him about. Maybe Harry though Draco was going soft because he wasn't being as insulting as he was before. Or perhaps Harry liked to be insulted and Draco was just making things worse by ignoring him.

'_I don't think that'd be it._' Thought Draco, '_Wait… Why the F--- am I worrying about this anyway? This is Harry Potter. Why should I care what he wanted to talk about? But he has been looking really depressed lately. I hope he doesn't do anything to hurt himself._'

Draco sat up as fast as humanly possible. Was he actually worrying about The-Boy-Who-Lived!?

Part of him wanted to ignore everything he was thinking and get on with his life the same way he always had, the other part wanted to confront Harry and ask if there was anything he could do to help.

Draco swung his legs over the side of his bed and sighed. He felt very conflicted at that moment. He was brought back to the real world by his stomach growling at him to say that it was time for dinner. He scowled and got up to go to The Great Hall.

* * *

Draco watched as Alzar flew in from the window and landed on Hermione's hand as she was bringing her golden fork to her mouth. She looked the magnificent owl for a while with a stunned look on her face; she obviously didn't get much mail. 

As he was watching her, Draco noticed the absence of one green-eyed boy who had been the object of Draco's thoughts for the past few years. Wether they were positive or negative thoughts were completely beside the point.

As if on cue the subtlest door opening Draco had ever seen resulted in Harry entering the hall very slowly and then quickly making his way along the wall with his head down, so he wouldn't be noticed as much as he normally was.

Remembering a book he had read over the summer, Draco studied Harry's body language as he walked. His right hand was holding his upper left arm in front of him, telling Draco that he wasn't feeling confident but didn't want to show it too much. His shoulders were hunched and his feet were dragging, so he probably didn't want to be there and was tired and worn out.

If Draco was worried before, he was really, really concerned now. He sighed and started eating slowly, not really caring what he was shovelling into his mouth.

When he felt movement behind him, Draco turned slightly to look at Snape, who was looming over him.

"At sunset." That having been said, Snape turned and left. Draco looked back over at the table dominated by red and gold, where Harry was now looking directly at him with puffy, blood shot eyes. Draco found himself unable to look away, so it was Harry who broke eye contact when Hermione started talking to him. By the looks of things, it was more of an interrorgation then just a friendly chat.

Draco stood and turned around to come face-to-face with Pansy. "Blaze says there's something bothering you and you won't tell him." She said in a falsely sweet voice that reminded him of Umbridge. He suppressed a shudder that came with the memory of her ni a pink and fluffy cardigan.

"Maybe Draco you would find it easier talking to a woman about the problem." Draco got the urge to push her away when she started coming so close to him their lips were almost touching. She flipped her hair and it whacked him in the face.

"That's a good idea Pans. When I see a woman I'll talk to her," he stated, trying to look completely unruffled, despite the fact that she was making him extremely uncomfortable. "I think I'll go look for one." He edged to the side so she was no longer pinning him to the table and he casually walked away, casting another look at The Gryffindor Table as he left.

* * *

It was a fairly warm night so Draco didn't bother wearing a scarf when he went out. 

The sun hadn't quite gone over the horizon and the moon was already up in the sky in all its glory. Despite the light from the two, the forbidden forest still was completely in darkness.

"Lumos." The tip of Draco's wand lit and he could just see in front of him as he walked. The strap of his bag dug into his shoulder as Draco gradually filled it with herbs and plants, many of which gave off a rather unpleasant smell, not that he minded much. He had his robe tied around his waist because the constant walking was making him sweaty.

For over an hour Draco didn't hear a sound at all, not even the wind, just his own nervous breathing, so when a twig snapped behind him he almost wet himself.

The trees rustled and Draco spun around quickly. He strained his ears and was just able to pick up the sound of padded feet on the forest floor, but they were coming from the opposite direction to the way he was facing. He spun again to look in the direction he originally was.

Now the footsteps were to his left.

'_Which direction is it F---ing coming from? Oh $hit it could be anything! What the hell am I going to do now!?_'

Draco looked up and strained his eyes too see in between the trees, he was lucky to stop in perhaps the only place in the forest where the sky could be seen. The moon was full, much to Draco's horror.

As he was looking up something pounced on his back, knocking him over. Whatever it was that had attacked, it started breathing heavily in his ear and digging its claws into his back.

Draco saw the Werewolf's snout for a split second before there was a sharp pain in his left shoulder. He cried out, but no one was there to hear him. The teeth dug deeper and deeper into Draco's shoulder, then the Werewolf slowly dragged his mouth up from the shoulder, across the collarbone and up his neck, licking the blood as it went.

Vaguely aware of the huge impact tremors in the ground, Draco passed out.

* * *

Author: I was this close (::presses finger and thumb together::) to ending the story here. But then it would have been too short and I'm going back to school in a few days (::cringes::) so I won't be able to get the chapters up as fast as I usually do.

* * *

Draco kept his eyes shut as he untied his robe from his waist and wrapped it around himself and his torn, bloody shirt to stop himself shivering. He lay there unable to move until he heard the crashes of footsteps/ Draco was sure it was the werewolf coming to finish him off. Instead, when he opened his eyes, he saw two boots come into view and when he looked up, a huge beard and two small beady eyes. 

"Hagrid?" whimpered Draco. It was so quiet he was shore he hadn't heard him, but he did.

"Malfoy? What yeh doing in 'ere?"

Draco's response was just a pitiful sob as tears started to sting his eyes. He swallowed, trying to keep his dinner where he had left it the night before. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and tried to control his shaking, stomach and tears all at the same time.

"Are yeh hurt?" His voice was full of concern, something Draco wasn't used to.

Before he knew it, Draco lied about what had happened. It was almost scary how quickly the lie came to him.

"S-Slipped. Hit head. Can't m-move." Draco felt himself being lifted up by Hagrid and he was slowly carried out of the forest. It was very surprising how gentle the half-giant was being and Draco started regretting everything he had ever said against half-breeds.

"I'll take yeh to the hospital wing."

"No, just take me to entrance to the dungeons, I'll go from there." Draco seriously doubted he could make it to his room and, judging by the look on his face, so did Hagrid.

"If yeh sure."

* * *

Draco had to blink a few times and let his eyes adjust when they got out from inbrtween the trees, because he didn't expect it to be morning. 

The trip to the castle went fairly well, despite the incredible close call when Draco almost threw up on himself because fang decided to get under Hagrid's feet, making him stumble.

Hagrid took away his arm that was supporting Draco's legs and let him stand, keeping him steady with his other arm. After a quick thanks, Hagrid left, and Draco tried to walk, but failed when his legs gave-way. It took half an hour for him to get up enough energy to stand again and make his way down the staircase. He thanked his lucky stars that everyone had class, because he would have been so unbelievably embarrassed if anyone saw him this weak and helpless.

The effort of walking was making him dizzy and nauseous, so he had to make a stop half way to his room and get into the bathroom so he could vomit into the sink.

Holding the edge of the sink, Draco pushed himself up so he could get a good look at himself in the mirror. He was a sickly yellow colour and his eyes were bloodshot, even though he hadn't cried it looked like he had.

Disgusted with his current appearance, he turned away just as the bell went. He went into one of the cubicles and locked the door, determined on not letting anyone see him. A few people came to empty their bladders on their way to the next class, but eventually they all left and Draco waited a few more minutes (just to make sure) before coming out.

Eventually he got to his room, but by now he was taking sharp breaths and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop shaking.

He looked in the mirror again and took off his robes and blood soaked shirt. The bite was so deep he could see the bone, and blood was oozing unstoppably out of it making him feel even woozier than he was before.

Draco pointed his wand (which he thankfully didn't drop) and healed the marks on his back. He tried to heal the bite going from his shoulder to his neck but it just stayed the same.

Sighing, he opened the draw where he kept his muggle shirts and dug through the clothes for a few seconds before his hand brushed against something.

What ever it was, it hurt his hand more then he thought was possible. It was like being grated with a cheese grater that had made a burn on his hand. He yelped and stuck his hand in his mouth in an attempt to stop it from hurting. He eventually took his hand out, carefully picked a t-shirt up and ripped it with his teeth before wrapping it around his shoulder and neck.

He looked in the draw and saw what he had brushed his hand against. Underneath where the t-shirt was, was the silver fork he had put in there the day before.

Then finally the reality set in.

"I'm a-a." He didn't want to say it, he didn't want to think it, but he couldn't stop himself. "Werewolf."

He kept whispering 'I'm a werewolf' to himself over and over again as he lent his back against the wall and slid down.

The worst thing was that he had always hated 'half-breeds' but now he was one, and anyone who found out would surely treat him like he would with any part human.

Finally he gave in and buried his head in his hands and cried his heart out for what seemed like forever. He was crying so hard he didn't notice someone coming in and standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame, watching him cry from behind his glasses.

* * *


	4. Silence is Definitely Golden

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch4: Silence Is Definitely Golden

Draco wiped his eyes with his hand and gave a loud sniff as he finally pulled himself together. He hadn't meant to break down like that, and he felt rather annoyed with himself that he lost control of his emotions.

Still holding back tears, he stood and went over to his bedside table so he could grab a tissue. He blew his nose as he went over to the draws to grab a clean shirt out (he was still shirtless). As he did, he caught site of the silver fork again and he choked out of a pitiful sob, in a very un-Malfoyish way. He turned around so he could go in the bathroom have a shower.

He froze when he saw who was standing in the doorway, leaning on the doorframe with a concerned expression on his face.

"What are you doing here Potter?"

"Can I come in?"

"No! Piss off!"

"Draco…"

"No. Just g… What did you call me?"

Harry blushed slightly, but if Draco hadn't have been looking at him so intensely he wouldn't have noticed.

"I called you Draco. Not a crime is it?"

"Well…No…But. No."

"No what?" Draco wavered under Harry's gaze. "Look. I only came he to ask you one question. Ok? The I'll just go."

Draco swallowed nervously. A voice in his head told Draco that he didn't want Harry to leave.

"H-How long have you been standing there for." He couldn't keep the quiver out of his voice.

"About three seconds after you started crying… You were whispering to yourself." He pushed himself off the doorframe. "What were you saying?"

"Nothing." '_Damn it Harry. Why'd you have to see me cry?'_

Harry just raised his eyebrows and pushed his glasses halfway down his nose so he could see over the top of them in an uncanny impression of Dumbledore. Draco only managed a weak smile. Harry sighed.

"Can I come in?" He asked again.

Draco shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he debated with himself

"Fine. But don't touch anything. I'll be back in a second." He stalked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He checked the bite in the mirror and sighed in relief when he saw that it had finally stopped bleeding. He washed around the wound and ran his hand (which was blistering severely) under cold running water, which helped it a bit, but not much.

* * *

As soon as Draco closed the bathroom door, Harry made his way over to the draw to see what had made Draco sob like that. 

What he saw puzzled him even more: A harmless fork.

'_What the hell!?_' He pocketed it in case it had a spell on it or something that was affecting Draco. Whatever it was, Hermione would figure it out.

He sat on the desk chair and looked around the room; it was quite nice and well furnished, it wasn't over-the-top, as he would have guessed. He looked at Draco's desk and noticed scrap pieces of parchment with drawings on them. Not of anything in particular, just random things. Harry noticed he was quite the artist and he wondered what he could do if he were given better materials to work with.

When he heard the door bathroom open, he swivelled the chair around so it wouldn't become obvious he had been looking at his stuff.

Draco walked over to his bed and sat down.

"Well, hurry up and ask this 'one question' so you can get out of my room."

Harry took a deep breath, as if he was dreading the answer. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Because you are not worthy of my time anymore."

Draco saw something flicker in Harry's eyes. Sadness and hurt, maybe.

"Ok then."

Draco sighed and rested his head on one hand. "Do you want the truth Pot…Harry?"

"That would be nice."

Draco sighed again. "EverytimeIsaysomethingtoyouitendsuphurtingyouandIdon'tthinkyouneedanymoreonyourshoulderssoIdecidedtoavoidyou." He panted a bit and waited for Harry to make sense of what he had said.

Harry's mouth was moving as he tried to put spaces in what Draco had said, after a while his eyes widened and he said a quiet "Oh…"

Then the predicted silence set in. It went for at least ten minutes before Harry broke it.

"What was wrong before?"

Draco quickly crossed the room and opened the door. "Get out."

"What? Why?"

"You've asked your question so go."

"But…"

"GO!! NOW!!"

Harry got up and slowly left. Draco locked eyes with him briefly and the Slytherin saw pain in his eyes once again. He felt an odd feeling in his chest, but still managed to slam the door as soon as Harry was out of the way. He stared into space for a second.

'_Why did I explode like that? I knew that question was coming, so why did I find it such a surprise?_'

He sat in the chair that Harry had sat in. Harry had been growing his hair long as a kind of tribute to Sirius and his hair had been touching the back of the chair. Draco buried his face into it and inhaled. It was a blueberry type of smell, which surprised Draco quite a bit. He liked it though, it was nice and it had a calming affect on the blonde.

He would have liked Harry to stay with him. Draco couldn't ever remember ever being held and comforted and he had a fleeting vision of him with his arms around Harry, brushing tears off his face and whispering comforting words in his ear, while being overwhelmed by the smell of blueberries.

Draco shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. But deep inside, he knew that's what he truly wanted. To be held and assured that everything was going to be ok, even if it was painfully obvious that it wasn't. What made Draco feel even worse was that he had to see that look in Harry's eyes again and know that he was the one that put it there.

'_Why do I have to stuff everything up?_'

Finally, fatigue caught up with him, and he fell asleep.

* * *

Harry heard Draco slam the door as soon as he had left the room. He stared at nothing for a moment 

'_I knew he would react like that, so why am I so surprised?_' He walked for about a minute before he decided he couldn't concentrate on where he was going, so he slumped against a statue as a few tears trailed down his cheeks.

Everything seemed so confusing. What Draco had said to him, made him feel like someone cared about him, not just about his scar or his 'duty'. There was something Draco was holding back though, and Harry desperately wanted to find out what it was and help. He had looked so weak and unguarded while he was crying and Harry never wanted him to be like that ever again.

It made him wonder if Draco ever knew what it felt like to be cared for or if he had even one affectionate bone in his body. Well… Maybe he had one.

But everything had been going so well, why was he thrown out?

'S_tupid question really._'

To Harry, Draco Malfoy was an egotistical, aristocratic, pompous, smart-arsed snake. At least that was what he used to think. Not Harry wasn't so sure and he had become concerned that maybe, behind the cold mask, he was actually in pain. What he had saw proved that.

The Slytherin Harry had seen curled up tightly in a ball was one of the saddest things he had ever seen. His eyes were not grey and unfeeling, but a rare shade of blue and strangely magnetic.

Lately Harry had been feeling pushed aside by the order members, who claimed to have his best interests at heart, and the teachers were treading carefully around him (with the exception of Snape, who was being, if possible, more annoying), in case they upset him.

For the first time in his life, he hadn't been looking forward to Hogwarts so he could use magic and play Quidditch (though he still enjoyed that particular aspect), but for the way Draco was going too treat him, because he assumed that it would be the same way he always had, and it wasn't going to remind him that he had lost someone extremely close.

Draco had been plaguing his mind for a while, the things he had said on the train… And the bruise that was on his cheek, what the hell was that?

Now his shoulder was injured and was being covered by a bloody t-shirt and he had looked under the weather.

Harry was snapped out of his thoughts by a loud 'meow' near his feet.

'_$hit, Mrs Norris._' He swore under his breath and made his way back to Draco's room, as it was the closest place to seek shelter.

He wiped his nose on the back of his sleave and knocked on the door. No answer. Slowly, he pushed the door open without an invitation, like he had before. The first place he looked for Draco was on the bed, but he saw him curled up sideways on the desk chair leaning against the back, facing the wall.

Harry stepped in and closed the door softly as he noticed Draco was asleep. He walked over and was going to levitate Draco over to the bed, but when he reached for his wand he realized it wasn't there, he had left it in the Defence Against the Darkarts classroom.

He contemplated carrying him over, but that plan went down the drain when he got a look at the peaceful look on Draco's face, he would have hated to wake him up.

Harry removed his Gryffindor robe and draped it over the sleeping blonde. As his hands brushed against his shoulder, Draco flinched and Harry withdrew his hand quickly. The bell went again and Harry tiptoed out of the room to join the flood of students as he headed towards Fable's classroom.

* * *

Harry was almost knocked backwards when the door to Fable's office opened suddenly and Snape strode out and turned around to look at Fable, who had appeared in the doorway and was wearing patchwork robes. 

"We'll continue this conversation after dinner Kathy."

"I look forward to it Severus. Oh, hello again Harry."

"Watch where you're going Potter."

"Severus," Fable said with a smile and a dainty laugh, "Don't pick fights with the students."

"Snape smirked, "Don't tell me how to do my job Katherine. I'll see you tonight." He gave a small bow and stalked off with his robes billowing behind him as he shouted things at students in the hallways that were running to get to their classes on time.

"Excuse him Harry, he seriously had something up his arse. It was your father that put it there in sixth year, a beaters club if my memory serves. Anyway what can I do for you?"

"I think I left my wand in here last period."

Harry was shocked that he could actually put together a sentence after what he had just heard. First off, Snape was being civil, then the comment about his father and Snape's rear-end (which painted a rather horrific picture in his head).

"I was wondering who that belonged too. Come in, Have a seat. I believe you have a free period now. I don't think that would worry you though, as you skipped the last one."

Harry sat opposite his new professor as she rummaged through her desk draw.

"How'd you know I didn't turn up?"

"You had potions, Professor Snape was bitching about it."

"You seem to be friends with Snape."

"Professor Snape and I were once engaged to each other. It didn't work out, but yes, we are friends."

'_Talk about opposites attracting. Maybe if these two could be friends, Draco and I could have a relationship… What The Fuck!! Oh, I bloody well did not think that!!_'

"Harry, are you ok?"

"What? Yeah I'm fine. I just have to go catch up with Hermione and Ron. I forgot I have to help Hermione with her Head duties."

Fable didn't look completely convinced, but she let him go anyway.

* * *

**Authors Note:** I originally was going to put this story on, but at the last minute I decided to put it on this site.  
I made a banner thingy for the story and I was going to put a link to it, but it doesn't work. So if you want to see itcould you give me suggestions on how to do it.

Also (just in case you wanted to know) professor Fable's wardrobe is roughly based on my mothers.


	5. Blood Is Thicker Then Water

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch5: Blood Is Thicker Then Water

"Good morning class."

"Hi Professor Fable."

"Excellent, you managed not to sound like mindless drones, congratulations." The class laughed at their new teacher. Today she was wearing black velvet pants, a white shirt and purple lace robes with the occasional light blue velvet flower attached to it.

Draco, despite having a massive headache, had decided to drag himself to class to see what the fuss was about. The Slytherins had been talking non-stop about Fable, saying that she was even better then Lupin (none of them were happy to see him go, but, of course, they would never have admitted that to anyone). So after brewing and forcing down a potion that deadened his enhanced sense of hearing and smell, he was now sitting in the back of the Defence Against the Darkarts classroom, as close to the door as possible.

His superior eyesight noticed Fables nose-stud for the first time. It was a small star made out of a carved sapphire with bronze around the edges. He was surprised that he could see it in so much detail from the other side of the room.

"Today we will be doing written work." The class groaned. "Yes I know, I know, but we have to. It's part of the requirements to do some written work this year. Everyone take out a quill, ink and parchment so we can get this done as soon as possible."

Everone did as they were told.

"Ok people, write this down" (another groan), Fable cleared her throat to show that she was getting annoyed with their attitude and words appeared on the board. 'To defeat ones enemy, you must first know their weaknesses and other information about them.'

"That is your heading thingy. It's not much of a heading, but it's the only think I can think of." A few people chuckled. "Today we are going to learn about Tom Marvolo Riddle." Everyone looked confused at this. "Tom was a half blood, with a witch mother and a muggle farther, who he was named after. Tom's dad left his wife when he found out of her magical, tendencies, without the knowledge that she was pregnant. She died giving birth to Tom and he was sent to go to an orphanage by his father. Tom killed his father when he was sixteen." Everyone started muttering to the others around them. "Now, that's all I'm going to tell you. Your homework if to find out everything about Tom Marvolo Riddle, as well as the name he is using now. I'll give you a hint. I will be very pleased if you can come up the front and tell us his name. Class dismissed."

'_Well that was short. That homework's doesn't sound too difficult._'

"Mr Malfoy, can I have a word"

Draco stopped in the doorway and went over to his teacher's desk.

"I was just wondering where you've been for all my classes. Care to put me out of my misery… That's an expression by the way."

"I wasn't feeling well." It came out snappier then it meant it too.

Fable raised an eyebrow, the expression on her face clearly saying that she didn't believe him"Well next time got a note from Madam Pomfrey. Mr Malfoy… Can I call you Draco" he nodded. "Draco. I advise not making lying a habit in my class. I'll let this slide but only once, but I don't want it happening again."

Draco decided to agree. There was something about her that gave him the impression that she could be extremely powerful when she wanted to.

* * *

Draco woke from a light sleep by the sound of the bell that signalled it was time for lunch and that his History of Magic class was finally finished. He made his way into the hall and sat down at the Slytherin table and was about to reach for his cutlery when he withdrew his hand as it reflect light into his eyes and he saw that it was silver.

He was starting to hate that colour very quickly. He had skipped breakfast to make the potion and was now regretting it, so he would have to stay hungry until he could afford to skip another class and head down to the kitchens… Where ever they were.

After sitting in silence for a while, the potion suddenly wore off and the new smells and sounds almost knocked him off his seat.

Blaze was sitting opposite Draco, talking in hushed voices to someone beside him, and didn't notice Draco as this happened. Now his lowered voice, almost a whisper, was like shouting in Draco's ears. If Draco hadn't known his hearing would improve, he might have thought everyone was using a sonorus spell.

All the aromas of over a thousand different foods wafted through his sinuses and it took every bit of energy he could muster to stop himself gagging. The worst smell was the ones he could pick out on the people. It was a horrible mix of over a hundred different shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, deodorants, soaps and the smell of those who didn't use any of the five fragrant products mentioned. He could even smell the washing powder smell used on their robes.

As far as Draco was aware there was only one person he knew who could teach him get used to all this, and to teach him control his senses at will. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, he really did needed help.

* * *

Lying in the hospital wing, in a private room away from prying eyes, was none other then Remus John Lupin. In his sleep-like state he was oblivious to what the weather was like, what went past his window, what was forced down his throat or who was sitting in the chair next to him with their knees to their chest, and blonde hair uncharacteristically messed up.

A knife lay was balanced on Draco's knees as he watched it glisten. It was silver so Draco had put four dragon skin gloves between it and his robes, yet he could still feel it burning his skin.

He put his tongue between his teeth (which seemed like a good idea at the time) and grabbed the knife with his right hand. He bit his tongue so he wouldn't scream at the pain and the smell of burning flesh. The knife, guided by his hand, dug into his left wrist.

This time Draco did cry out, as tears of pain ran down his face and he bit a chunk of his tongue off by accident. By now it felt like his right hand was in flames and his left hand was being burnt from the inside, out.

It was an amazing feet that, through the blinding pain he still had the right mind to move his wrist over the small cauldron that contained a metallic yellow potion so his blood would drip into it. With jerky motions, Draco let go of the knife so it fell to the floor leaving a smear of blood where it landed.

With his vision slipping in and out of focus, he poured the yellow and red liquid down his ex-professor's throat, then rubbing his Edams apple to make him swallow the stuff.

Draco had been learning how to become an animagus and he figured now was the best time to try the transformation, because he was about to pass out and he didn't want to be found looking so weak. He closed his eyes and he felt himself shrinking. He didn't bother to find a mirror to see what animal he was. All he knew was that he was a lot closer to the ground, he felt long and he walked on four feet. He scurried over to the bed and was only just able to get into the shadows before he collapsed.

* * *

"But how Albus? There couldn't be another Werewolf in the castle, could there? I'm the only one. It's impossible."

Draco opened his eyes when he heard the Lupin's voice.

"I don't know if there is another Werewolf in the castle, but it definitely seems like it." This voice belonged to Dumbledore. No one else sounded that old. "But the question we must ask ourselves is: Why did he want to revive you"

"Not to mention" Aha! There was no mistaking that voice. It's Snape's. "That said Lycan used a silver dagger as it was specified in the book. Therefore he wouldn't have been able to get very far as he would be extremely weak."

Draco scoffed. '_Yeah, that would be the reason why I'm hiding, idiot._' Draco sneezed violently because of the dust that was surrounding him.

He tried to breath through his mouth, but it didn't work. He didn't hear the next part of the conversation because he had been having a sneezing fit. When he moved over to a less dusty part, he cursed at the high-pitched tone of his sneezes and pleaded to no one in particular that he hadn't turned into the one animal that he utterly despised.

"It might be Mr Potter, he's been acting very strangely lately."

"Poppy, he lost his Godfather, of course he's acting differently."

"Plus there's the Prophecy he's obviously been thinking about."

'_Prophecy?_'

"I still find it hard to believe Sybill actually made a prophecy… A real one."

The conversation trailed off and the ground vibrates softly as they left. The bed sagged and the springs squeaked as someone (presumably Lupin) lay down, letting it take his weight.

Draco made a mental not to owl his father as soon as he got out of the hospital wing.

At the moment he was feeling slightly dizzy from blood loss and he stumbled out from under the bed and called out to the fellow Werewolf.

"Hey! Down here" unexpectedly, it came out in English and in the same deep voice that he had as a human, except quieter.

The bed creaked as a sickly face covered in scars, with now almost completely grey hair, looked over.

"Oh" Lupin was slightly surprised; it showed on his face. "Hello" He grabbed Draco the animal up and looked into his eyes. "Did you just speak English" Draco nodded weakly and Lupin's eyebrows went together as he thought. "You'd be an Animagus then. Yes" Another nod. "Can you change back" This time he shook his head.

Lupin grabbed his wand and pointed it at Draco. Blue light and white light mixed together and Draco felt it was no use struggling against it as it changed him back into his human form.

"Mr Malfoy! I should of known. Who else would have been a ferret"

"I knew it. Of all the animals I had to be, it had to be a bloody ferret." He was trying to sound angry, but was failing miserably; he was too light-headed to put any effort into it. Lupin looked Draco up and down his eyes lingered on his wrist and hand. He put two and two together.

"Wait here." Lupin got off the bed and Draco fell forward, burying his face into the pillow.

Lupin came back a few minutes later with several vials of different potions, a bandage and a bowl filled with Essence of Murtlap. He soaked the bandage in the Murtlap before wrapping it around Draco's bleeding wrist and guiding his other hand into the bowl. Draco forced down the potions and felt his head clearing.

"Thanks Professor."

"I assume it was you who finished the potion off for me."

"Yeah" he smirked"I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all." There was a silence where each were consumed in their own thoughts. "How long"

"About two and a half weeks. I slept through almost all of it."

"How have you been coping"

"It's hard sometimes, but I'll live. I hope I do anyway." Draco felt at ease with his former professor now. It was hard to explain, but Draco felt that if he couldn't trust Lupin then he couldn't trust anyone.

"You should if you learn how to handle it."

"Don't you want to ask me why I revived you"

Lupin sighed and sat down in the chair Draco had sat on before. "Well, I have to admit, I am curious. Helping people isn't really like you."

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW! YOU DON'T KNOW ME"

"Clam down Mr Malfoy. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Well you did, so next time just keep your mouth shut"

"Take a deep breath and relax. You are doing what my friend used to call 'wolfing out'. Here." He handed Draco a mirror and he snatched it off him. Draco stared at himself. His eyes were a sharp amber colour.

"F-." He muttered his under his breath so the older man wouldn't hear him. Unfortunately he forgot about Werewolf hearing and Lupin frowned, but said nothing. "I woke you up because… I need… Help."

"A Malfoy just asked for help. I must still be dreaming." Draco scowled. "Ok, Ok, I'll stop. I can teach you how to block out your senses. It will be difficult."

Draco nodded and urged his on to continue as he pushed him self up into a sitting position so he could listen better.

* * *

**A/N: **The banner is set as my homepageon my bio page


	6. Good Things Come In Small Packages

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch6: Good Things Come In Small Packages.

Glad that he had managed to tame his sense of smell and his hearing, at the moment the proud Slytherin didn't have much to worry about, but was finding to hard to sleep at night and was having mood swings. He had compared his emotional unbalance to that of a pregnant woman's on more than one occasion.

The grounds were damp and slightly frosty as Draco sat in the Quidditch stands hidden in the shadows as the Gryffindor team practiced their moves. He had just sent Alzar off into the sunrise to the Malfoy Manor. Draco hated to admit it, but Ron was a good captain and the Slytherin team would have trouble competing with them. Apparently Harry had turned down the title and suggested Ron, not because of his talents on the field (that much was obvious), but because of his strategies, fascination of the sport and surprising leadership skills.

Draco found himself watching Harry as he hovered around the top of the other players. He still had his robe up in his dorm and Harry only had a too-small hand knitted sweater over his school shirt. As the wind whipped his black hair around he strained his eyes to find the snitch, occasionally brushing his hair out of his eyes. When students started filing out of the castle the team banished their brooms to their dorms with a flick of their wand.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend and was also the week before and the first Quiddtch match of the year, and exactly eight days before the full moon.

Harry walked with Ron and Hermione, but wasn't involved in the conversation. There were a few people in between them and Draco, but if he let his hearing go a bit he could just hear what they were saying clearly. Most of it was boring.

Draco looked forward to buying lots of stuff from as many shops as he could get too, and that's just what he did.

With his pockets bulging full of shrunken objects, he sat down at a table in the three broomsticks with a blood-flavoured lollypop in his mouth (he had taken a liking to them). He propped a borrowed book up on a jug of something he assumed was water and read a few lines. It was records of every breach of the underage use of magic law, and he was skimming through it for the name Tom Riddle.

When the door opened Draco would have normally looked up to see who it was, but instead he just let go of his hearing and smell again, and was able to tell who it was. A gingery smell hit him and he looked up; it was Hermione. She looked around quickly before walking over to where he was sitting.

"Hi Draco. How are you"

"Can't complain. You"

"Yeah I'm Ok." Draco raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to one side. "Actually, I'm a bit worried."

"About" He edged her on.

"About Harry." Draco's heart started beating a little faster and he tried (and failed) to slow it down.

"Why, What's wrong with him" Just to sound like he didn't care too much, he added"Does he miss his little puppy dog"

Hermione shot him a look "You know, you could try to be a bit nicer, he is going through a tough time, not just because of Sirius. Plus, I think he's getting a cold."

When she said this, Draco started feeling guilty. He was probably getting sick because he hadn't been able to give his robe back. "You know, Hermione, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked him a bit more then a friend."

" I have no idea how you managed to get that. I'm going out with Ron. Harry's just a friend. And you know, Draco, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were gay."

Draco raised both his eyebrows and scoffed, but his uncertainty must have shown in his eyes, because Hermione raised her eyebrow. "You are aren't you" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, I-I think I am." '_I stuttered. Why did I stutter?_'

"It's ok if you are." She smiled. "You don't have to be nervous." Draco blushed slightly. "Now I know a gay guy, that's you by the way, a lesbian and a bisexual."

Draco knew who the lesbian was, but not the bisexual. "Who's the bi"

"Oh, it's Harry. I only found out this morning" Draco suppressed the urge to jump up on the table and shout for joy.

"Really"

"Oh yeah. Why"

"No reason."

"You like him, don't you"

"HELL NO" '_Hell yes._' Several heads turned in their direction.

"That's the second time I've seen you blush. It's really funny." She looked at her watch. "There's half an hour before we have to go back to the school, I've got to go find Ron and Harry. They're probably not in the same lace. They're fighting. Anyway, I'll see you at the Prefects meeting tomorrow." With a wave she stood up and left, leaving Draco to feel lonely.

He got up and followed her out, deciding that he would go into the Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes shop that had taken over Zonkos. Fred owned this one and George owned the one in Diagon Ally, though sometimes they swapped or closed one when the other got too busy.

At the moment they were both in Hogsmead, trying to stop the flood of students. Draco was able to slip around with out being seen and scan the shelves. He bought some Skiving Snackboxes and planed to use them to get out of his 'initiation' into the Death Eaters, it was a long-shot that they'd work, but anything was worth a try. He had threatened a little kid who had wandered off from his parents to buy them for him. After all, Draco couldn't be seen buying anything from a shop run by a Weasley.

He walked out of the shop and saw that all the students were heading towards the exit. When he got there, the teachers had already started leading everyone along the dirt road to the castle.

Once again, Draco chose to walk near Harry, who had separated from Hermione and Ron who were holding hands and arguing quietly about something. Harry stayed silent for the entire walk, apart from the occasional sniff and clearing of his throat

* * *

Harry woke in the evening with a sore throat and a runny nose. He groaned as he sat up and realized that he had forgotten to take his glasses off and to close the curtains around his bed when he had fallen asleep after the Hogsmead trip. Luckily no one was in the dorms.

He coughed a few times, it sounded horrible and hurt his throat even more. Leaning back on his pillow he reached for a glass of water on the bedside table. Instead of grabbing the glass, his hand rested on lumpy parcel.

"What…" he said hoarsely. He winced at the sound of his voice.

The parcel was wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with muggle string. '_Odd._' He thought, as he pulled it over. Inside was his robe, cleaned and neatly pressed, but on top of it was a box of tissues and a note.

_Harry,_

_I heard you aren't felling well this today so I thought you might need these. I had the robe cleaned so you don't have to worry about that. Take my advice and stay in bed, it'll do you the world of good._

_Don't bother asking me why I'm being nice to you, I just am; I probably wouldn't give you an answer if you asked me anyway._

_Hope you get better soon,_

_Draco._

There was a quick sketch of an utterly adorable little ferret on the bottom left hand side of the parchment, and Harry chuckled at it, but it quickly turned into a cough.

"Harry, You ok" Ron walked out of the bathroom with his hair sopping wet and his shirt half untucked. With a wave of his wand, Ron's dried his hair. "That's a pretty nasty cough you've got there."

Harry glared at Ron.

"What, you're being nice to me now? I don't need your help. I'm fi-fi-fA-CHOO"

"Bless you" Ron said emotionlessly. He grabbed his robe roughly and stalked out, sending a slight glance in Harry's direction as he closed the door.

Harry stood up and put his robe on over his pyjamas and fell backwards onto the bed, feeling more miserable then before. He sneezed again and reached for a tissue out of the box Draco had given him. After rereading the note a few more times he decided to write one back.

_Draco,_

_Thanks for the robe and the tissues, it was really thoughtful of you, kind of surprising really. I was planning on staying in bed anyway; I haven't got enough energy to do much._

_How did you know I wasn't well? Lately Ron and I have been fighting and Hermione's been spending a lot of time with him so I've been rather lonely and I don't think either would notice if I wasn't well. I'm going to be even lonelier now I've got this bloody cold… I suppose that's why I'm writing to you._

_I was planning on staying in bed anyway; I haven't got enough energy to do much._

_Anyway I'm sure you're getting bored with listening to me complain. Sorry about my rambling._

_Enjoy your health,_

_Harry_

_P.S. Nice sketch. Very cute._

Luckily the school owl had stuck around, so Harry could send it to Draco straight away. He hoped Draco would get the hint that he wanted company. For some reason he wanted to see him, maybe it was because he wanted to straighten out that night when he found Draco crying and bleeding. Surely that was it.

After Harry had sent the owl, he didn't have long to wait. At first he thought Draco had sent the note back, but then (after a sharp bite from the owl) he realized it was on the back.

_Keep your chin up. Be there soon. Bringing soup._

Obviously he got the hint. Harry started fidgeting with his blankets. What if people saw him walk through the Common Room? How was he going to get the password?

Ten minutes and six tissues later Draco carefully opened the door to the Gryffindor boys dormitories and tip toed in, followed closely by a house elf carrying a tray with a bowl of chicken soup balancing on top of it.

The house elf put the bowl on the bedside table and gave a small bow before leaving.

Harry opened his eyes and looked into Draco's, which were definitely not grey.

"I didn't think you'd actually come."

Draco sat on an angle on the bed.

"I didn't think you'd actually ask me… How do you feel"

"Like hit. Were you seen"

"No. All they saw was the house elf that was carrying the soup." '_And a small white ferret._' Draco smiled at the thought. He had accepted the fact that he was a ferret now, though it still worried him slightly.

Harry sat up and gave a cough that caused Draco to wince. As Harry ate the soup Draco found a more comfortable position on the bed. He decided to sit next to Harry, with his back supported by the headboard.

When the soup was gone there was a long silence, broken occasionally by a sneeze or a cough. When Draco spoke, Harry jumped

"What are you and Ron fighting about anyway"

"Just stuff."

Pause

"A-CHOO"

"Bless you."

"Thanks"

Another Pause

"What stuff"

"Look…" Harry sighed. "I don't want to talk about it. Ok"

"Yeah sure, I won't push you if you don't want to tell me."

"… I'm Bisexual. When I told him, he went all… Weird. He's so insensitive. He knows I've been having trouble coping without Sirius and I didn't need him to go and make it worse. I suppose it's ok he's not talking to me. At least he doesn't ask me if I'm 'Ok' every five minutes. They just don't understand that I don't want to talk to them about it."

After this outburst Harry went into a coughing fit and Draco placed one hand on Harry's chest as he bent over, while his other hand rubbed his back.

"Sorry to just explode like that." Harry croaked"I'm just really annoyed with them, that's all."

"And by them, do you mean Ron and Hermione? I could picture The Weasel doing that, but not Hermione. I had a talk with her at Hogsmeade and she seemed genuinely concerned about you. Not bothered by your sexuality at all."

"Really"

"Yeah." Draco replied softly as Harry yawned. " I think you should lie down and get some rest." Harry made a noise of disagreement in the back of his throat, but complied. Draco closed the curtains and slid down under the blankets. Harry was already asleep and snoring quite contently. He rolled over and instinctively cuddled into Draco. This was not a problem for the blonde until Harry nuzzled his head into the crook of Draco's neck.

Draco tensed as he felt Harry do this, but his discomfort was forgotten when he realized Harry was shivering. He took his glasses off for him and put them on the bedside table before wrapping his arms around the black-haired boy and going into a blissful sleep.


	7. The Truth Will Set You Free

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch7: The Truth will Set You Free

Draco woke with his cheek resting on the top of Harry's head. He could tell Harry was still asleep because he was still snoring, even if it was quieter then before it was annoying Draco, but he didn't have the heart to wake the sleeping boy.

Harry whimpered as Draco gently let go and slipped out of the bed. With a quick glance around the room to make sure everyone was still asleep, he kissed Harry on his forehead and turned into a white ferret.

He scampered across the room and squeezed through the gap between the door and the wall, before tripping and rolling very ungracefully down the stairs. Just to see Hermione and Ron making out on the couch.

Ferret Draco yelled as loud as he could "Knock it off"

They broke apart. "Who said that? Who's there"

Draco snickered to himself as he went over to the back of the portrait. Not surprisingly, it was closed. Draco scratched at it and started making ferrety noises.

"Oh, look Ron, a cute little ferret."

"Yeah…Cute… Now, where were we"

"Ron, how can you think of that when that cute creature needs help"

"Easily."

"I can't believe you! Are you always so selfish when you fight with Harry? Just apologise already." Hermione stood up and walked over to Draco. "Hello little guy." She picked him up and cradled him as she opened the portrait. "Be careful you cute thing you. You're lucky it's so early so you wont get trampled."

She put him down and went back inside the Common Room, no doubt to give Ron a good talking too.

For twenty minutes Draco wandered aimlessly around the castle in human form. Because he was Head Boy, if he ran into any teachers (or Filch), they wouldn't give him a second glance. His mind was blank, but seemed to be going a hundred miles an hour at the same time. He tried going to his room, but couldn't sit still for more then two minutes.

He didn't know what had possessed him to go to Harry's room, or even to write the letter in the first place. He had just wanted to see if he was ok. It was a spontaneous thing.

Soon he found himself in the Defence Against the Dark Arts corridor. There was a dim light coming from under the door of the classroom. Curiosity got the better of him and he pushed it slowly open.

Fable was sitting at her desk in the front of the classroom with her head on a stack of parchment and a puddle of drool under her.

"Err, Professor"

"Gow way."

"But Professor, you're drooling on your stuff."

"Wa" Draco walked over and gave her a sharp jab in her shoulder. "All right I'm up… Mr Malfoy? What are you doing here, it's… THREE AM"

"You were drooling, In case you didn't know."

"Oh, crap! I have to give this work back to the students today. Oh Crap" Draco took out his wand and cast a drying spell on the work, Fable looked embarrassed. "I was just about to do that, thank you. What are you doing out of bed"

"Couldn't sleep."

"I see." Fable looked (very indiscreetly) at Draco's hand, which still displayed marks from holding the silver dagger. "Mr Malfoy." She paused to find the right question to ask. "I haven't seen you in the great hall lately, where have you been eating"

"The kitchens. Why"

"Because people are beginning to think you have something to hide. And I think I know what it is." Draco did his best to control his temper. According to Lupin, mood-swings were a temporary side effect and would be easier to control after his first transformation. Fable seemed to think about the problem for a moment. "I think I may have a solution that would help you and your… problem, with one of the Slytherin colours." She smiled in a very sly way.

'_She's worse then Dumbledore_' Draco thought, as he looked his professor in the eye.

"Would you mind being relieved of your head boy duties"

"No, I wouldn't mind." Draco had thought about it for a while and he didn't think he could cope with being Head boy, a Werewolf and a Deatheater.

"Next time in my class, get in a fight with one of the Gryffindors. I'll do the re..." She tensed all of a sudden and her fingernails scratched the table as she clenched her fists "I suggest you try to get to sleep. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have to be somewhere."

* * *

_A man was standing in a room, which was dark and cold and had boarded up windows and a layer of dust on almost all the furniture. The floor had a few footprints coming from each of the two doors, which were on opposite walls._

_In front of the man, kneeling on the floor, were three people. The one in the middle was a hysterical woman who had sunk down on both knees and was making no attempt to pull herself together. There were two people in black robes kneeling on one knee in a bow on either side of the distraught lady._

_"My Lord." One of the bowing people said, after they had used 'silenco' on the one in the middle. "We've brought her here, as promised." The one talking was a male and had a deep, steady voice._

_"Yes" He hissed harshly. "I can see that Snape."_

_"I apologise my Lord."_

_"Shut Up." His gaze shifted to the person on the other side. "You have the device." It wasn't a question._

_"Yes My Lord." This one was female. She produced a globe with a long pointy stick from her robe pocket and held it above her head, so it could be taken from her with out him having to bend down._

_He caressed it with his long pale fingers. "Good work. You will both be rewarded for this. Stand her up."_

_They were able to drag the woman to her feet. He grabbed her hair and pulled it down so her tear stained face was facing the ceiling._

_"Don't bother struggling Sybill. It's useless." He placed the point of the 'device' in between Sybill Trelawney's eyebrows and it slowly started spinning._

_The clear globe quickly filled with smoke and Trelawney sank to her knees again as he romoved it._

_He whipped out his wand._

_"Avada Kedavra." In a flash of green light, Trelawny fell to her side. Dead. Neither of the Deatheaters flinched. "You're dismissed." They both turned to go, but a pale hand grabbing her shoulder painfully stoped the female. "Not you."_

_When Snape had closed the door behind him the Dark Lord put his mouth close to the woman's ear._

_"You thought you could get away, didn't you" No answer. "I own you. My mark on your arm proves that. You've had it long enough to know that you should always stay behind after a killing."_

_"Yes My Lord."_

_He hissed angrily. "SAY IT" He demanded. He just loved people reactions._

_"Yes L-Lord V-Vol" she swallowed "Voldemort."_

_Voldemort shoved her hard and she fell backwards onto the bed. He climbed on top of her and said. "Now that I have the Prophecy, you have to find a way to bring Potter here."_

_"Yes My lord." He hit her as hard as he could and she cried out. "Y-Yes V-V-Voldemort" She sounded like she was about to cry, which suited him just fine. Her fear excited him and he ripped off the woman's shirt… then her mask._

* * *

Harry sat upright with almost impossible speed. He was breathing heavily and was shaking uncontrollably. He coughed as his irregular breathing irritated his already sore throat.

"Ron" Harry became aware of the red head standing over his bed with slightly swollen lips. "Voldemort has the prophecy! And Professor Trelawney's dead! A-And…"

Ron had paled and went a light shade of green as he held up his hand to stop Harry. "Hold on, ok. I'll go get Dumbledore. You stay here and calm down… Have a drink of water." He added when Harry started coughing again. He left and Harry decided to do what Ron had suggested and have a drink then to try and calm himself.

Maybe it was a trick. Someone had used a Polyjuice Potion. She definitely wasn't acting normally.

'_It's impossible. Professor Fable is not a Deatheater… She can't be." _

Thinking of Deatheaters made him think of Draco. Harry looked around the room, but he wasn't there. Not completely understanding why he felt disappointed, he looked for a note, but was unsuccessful in finding one. He let out a choked sob. He decided to think of the previous night to get his mind off his dream.

He remembered talking with Draco and regretted blurting out that he was bi, but he also remembered how the blonde had tensed his entire body when Harry had rested his head on him. He cursed, as it was obvious the Slytherin didn't like affection, especially when it involved his neck. Hermione had filed him in on the fact a while ago and he was surprised had forgotten it.

Harry was brought out of his thoughts by an especially violent series of sneezes.

"Gesundheit." Harry looked up into the worried blue eyes of the Headmaster. "I assume you're not feeling any better."

"No I'm not.'

Dumbledore clucked his tongue sympathetically, a habit he probably picked up from the previous Headmaster, Professor Dippit. "I've heard you had another dream. Would you care to enlighten me on what it was about"

Harry took a deep breath as Dumbledore conjured up a chair. He explained the dream in detail and was thankful he wasn't interrupted, Ron looked like he might say something at times, but each time he stopped himself. Harry 'accidentally' forgot to tell Dumbledore that Voldemort threw Fable onto the bed and ripped of her shirt.

"Yes" said Dumbledore. "I unfortunately knew Voldemort was interested in Sybill, may she rest in peace, but I wasn't told why, I guessed, of course, and it turned out to be quite accurate, not that it matters now. I, unfortunately, had underestimated his resources and didn't realize that he would be able to get his hand on a Previous Insight Extorter, or PIE for short… But Professor Fable… Now that's interesting…" He trailed off stroking his beard and appeared to be lost in his thoughts.

"Professor" Ron waved his hand in front of Dumbledore's face and he snapped out of it.

"Mr Weasley, could you find Professor Snape and ask him to wait for me in my office. Now, Harry, I'm afraid you missed breakfast. Your first lesson is Defence Against the Dark arts, if I remember correctly. Could you please ask Professor Fable to come to my office to see Severus and myself? That is, if you feel up to going to class today.

"I'll will Professor, and I'll be fine." Harry added when he saw a concerned frown on the headmaster's face. He got out of bed and Dumbledore stood up and said his goodbyes.

* * *

Draco sat in the back of the classroom, appreciating how calm Fable looked when she knew a huge fight could break out at any moment. At the moment Fable was casually observing the students as they completed their written work on the Unforgivable curses. Draco knew it all, so had finished a lot quicker then the others and was sussing out who he could pick on. Harry was out of the question, as he was still sick.

_'… Not that I care or anything like that. It's just too easy.'_ He hastily added to himselfHermione wouldn't go for the bait, Ron would but it was too risky knowing that Fred and George could easily make his life a living hell now that they had no boundaries any more, and they surely had a secret way of getting into the castle.

Then his eyes fell on Neville. Draco smirked to himself. Neville was easy to intimidate and had a deep hatred for Deatheaters. He was also getting very powerful and Draco was curious as to how much of a punch the chubby boy possessed.

When Fable eventually looked in Draco's direction he gave a small nod and her eyes sparkled not unlike Dumbledore's.

"I gotta go for a moment. I'll be back in a jiffy. Behave while I'm gone, or else." She threatened the class with her finger, and as she passed Draco's table she gave a small wink in his direction.

As soon as the door closed, Draco leaned back in his chair and shouted across the room.

"Hey, Longbottom"


	8. Easier Said Then Done

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch8: Easier Said Then Done

Harry, Neville and the rest of the seventh year Gryffindor population (as well as a fair few Slytherins) turned to look at Draco's smirking face.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Neville spat back.

"You have potions after lunch don't you?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. It sounded way too innocent.

"Why?"

"I just thought you might like some pointers."

'_This is not going to end well_' thought Harry. He knew that look in Draco's eyes; he was begging to get into a fight. It definitely seemed like he was setting a fight up up, but was being much more cautious with what he was saying then he normally was.

"And I'm sure they'd be great pointers too." Neville mumbled sarcastically under his breath.

"What was that Longbottom?"

"Nothing."

"You know. If you don't want my help you'd better get a head start kissing Snape's arse. But then again, you might enjoy that knowing you… On the other hand your mouth has probably already been around that area of Snape, just, you know, around the front." He indicated his crotch area.

Draco appeared to be deep in thought about the subject. When he noticed Neville's face he smirked again. "By the look on your face I'd say you agree." Draco winked suggestively.

Neville, who had been standing with his mouth open in shock, quickly closed it and scowled very uncharacteristically. Neville didn't reach for his wand until Draco made his next comment.

"I suppose that sort of thing must run in the family."

With his wand pointed at Draco's heart he finally retorted, "You'd know all about that wouldn't you."

Slowly and menacingly Draco rose from his seat, but didn't reach for his wand, a little voice in his head was telling Draco it would be much more satisfying if he used his own bare hands to inflict pain on the boy standing five rows in front of him.

It took all Draco's willpower not to lash out. He was too busy controlling his temper to hear the first spell coming in his direction. He dodged it just in time and sent one back. It was an advanced spell and Neville's 'Protego' didn't do anything. He was sent across the room and collapsed into a heap behind Fable's desk.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" Fable stood in the doorway with a murderous look on her face. Most of the class gulped, and Draco couldn't help thinking,

'_She is a bloody brilliant actor!_'

She moved over behind her desk and gently roused the unconscious Gryffindor.

"You'll be ok won't you?"

"Yeah, I s-should be. T-Thank you." He plodded back to his seat and Draco leaned back as he had done before.

"Alright. I'm going to give the guilty person only one chance… Come forward and admit to attacking Mr Longbottom and I will not force you to clean out the school's septic tank."

The students didn't know wether she was joking or not, by her tone they guessed she was serious. A few of them chuckled nervously, but no one said anything else.

"Fine then, " she raised her voice slightly. "Who want's to rat the person out?" she commanded more then asked. Hermione decided to speak up while comforting a shaking Neville.

"It was Malfoy, Professor."

Fable rounded on Draco, "Come." She picked him up by the back of his robes and dragged his out and said in whisper loud enough for the entire room to hear. "I was gone for no more then three minutes and you knock someone unconscious."

Neither of them spoke until just outside Dumbledore's office. "Oh, by the way, nice spell." She smiled at him and spoke the password.

* * *

The whole room started talking as soon as Fable left. Harry looked down at his parchment (which was blank) and decided that it was best if he copied off Hermione while Fable was out of the room. But she was sitting in the row behind him… next to Ron.

He turned his chair around and directed his attention on Hermione while deliberately avoiding looking the read head next to her.

"Hermione, can I copy your work please?"

"You should be doing your own work," She held he head a little higher, a sure sign she was going to go into lecture mode. Harry butted in before she could tell him off.

"Please. I can't concentrate with this damn cold and I keep thinking about that dream I had." He rested his forehead in his hand. "You can't expect me to work with a headache this bad."

Hermione frowned and lifted his head up gently and felt his forehead. She bit her lip in concentration but was distracted by Ron clearing his throat meaningfully.

"Harry. Um. I'm. Ur… Argh, this was so much bloody easier when I rehearsed it in front of the mirror this morning."

"I think he's trying to apologise." Put in Hermione.

"Yeah I am, so…Yeah."

Harry chuckled. He didn't dare laugh properly because he was bound to end up coughing again if he did. The whole lesson he had been not to cough and to trying to hide his sneezes, but every time he suppressed one his body would shudder, and he was paranoid people had noticed.

"Here." Hermione surrendered her work over to Harry who took very little time to copy it down. When he had finished he looked up at Ron.

"So you're ok with my sexuality?"

"Yeah sort of. It'll take a while to get used to it. It's weird. You understand what I'm saying don't ya?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Draco sat in the newly conjured chair in between Fable and Snape, who was sitting in Dumbledore's office when they had arrived.

"Now, Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore lent over his desk slightly, his weight pushing onto his elbows, which were on the desk. "Enlighten me as to why Professor Fable had to pull you out of class to see me.

Draco shifted slightly and did his best at occlumency so only certain parts of his memories and thoughts were inaccessible, but not all. He didn't want it to look too suspicious. By Fable's blank look he guessed she was doing the same thing. And Snape… Well…Snape always looked like that.

"I got in a fight, sir. But Longbottom started it."

"I suggest," butted in Fable, "it'd be better for Malfoy here, to have his Head Boy duties taken off him. He clearly can't control himself." Her tone was full of indifference.

Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"Also," she continued, "I think maybe he should eat with the Gryffindors."

Snape blanched at the thought.

"It would promote house unity and when he can finally act civil he can be… reinstated."

"Excellent idea Katherine. Draco you may go, and for breakfast, lunch and dinner until I say otherwise, you will be dining with your fellow class mates in Gryffindor house." He looked over his glasses. "Mr Malfoy. Is there anything you wish to tell me?"

Draco shook his head and walked out with his back straight, seemingly unfazed. Fable followed.

"And Professor Fable will be staying here with us." Said Snape. "So tell her class they are dismissed."

"Yes sir."

Draco didn't think of anything while he was slowly going down the revolving staircase. Fables decision was really not what he expected, but, then again, he had no idea what she was going to do, so anything would have been a surprise.

On the way back to the classroom he tried to convince himself it was a good thing, but wasn't doing a very good job of it.

'_The Slytherins will get suspicious… But there's no silver cutlery… I'm going to have to talk with the Golden Trio… But there's good cutlery… It might be awkward with Harry being there… But then again… The cutlery… And did Dumbledore know something?'_

Draco shook his head slightly to clear his head and opened the classroom door. He stood importantly in the doorframe.

"Professor Fable will not be joining us, so you are all free to go to lunch early, with her permission." He used the same tone of voice he had picked up from his father.

Everyone jumped up as fast as they could and desperately tried to push everyone out of the way to get to the door. Draco took it easy and packed his stuff away slowly, he didn't notice Hermione standing in front of him on the other side of the table.

"Umm, Draco?"

Draco could see her hands fidgeting nervously, before she suddenly slammed her hand down on the table, Draco assumed it was to get his attention, but when she took her hand away, there was a silver fork on the table.

"I know." She said quietly. Draco straightened so he was his full hight and he towered over her. She cowered, not just because of his hight, but because his eyes were slowly turning a yellowish colour.

"How?" he snarled.

"Harry took it from your room and asked me to analyse it. It had skin on it, which had been burnt off. Your skin, the skin of a werewolf."

Draco face twitched as he felt hot anger bubbling up inside him as well as a strange feeling of being betrayed.

"Draco. Just, calm down. I won't tell anybody. But you should tell Professor Dumbledore about it."

He ignored her last comment. "As much as that relieves me mud-blood, it's not what I'm angry about."

"He didn't want me to tell you that I knew why he was there. He said you'd be angry at me for knowing."

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Hermione looked like she was going to cry, and he couldn't stand watching people cry.

"I'm not angry at you." He mumbled. "So, don't worry."

He opened his eyes, (which weren't burning anymore, so he knew they had returned to blue) and looked at Hermione, she was still scared.

Draco sigher heavily and looked down at the table again. "You're afraid of me aren't you?"

"I'm sorry Draco. Really I am. But you were dangerous enough before, and now…" She trailed off. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I suppose I have to get used to it" For some reason he couldn't bring his voice above a whisper. He didn't dare do so anyway, out of fear his voice would break, due to the tears he was forcing back. "We should go to lunch." He walked out and Hermione followed silently.

* * *

Harry watched as Draco came over and sat at the Gryffindor table, despite looking longingly at the Slytherins he sat by himself as close to the exit as he could.

"Mia, why isn't Malfoy sitting with the Slytherins?" Ron asked Hermione, using his pet name for her.

"How am I supposed to know Ronald." She answered, using his full name as a pet name. "I don't know everything." Her tone was light but there was worry and fear in her eyes.

Harry took a bite of his sandwich, but was unable to taste it, so he put it back down and decided to observe Draco instead. He found he couldn't take his eyes off the blonde until McGonagall promptly tapped her glass with her fork and Dumbledore rose; the Hall fell silent.

"As some of you may have noticed, one of out Slytherin students had changed tables." Many ugly looks were cast in Draco's direction. "Earlier today he started a fight with someone of in another house. As punishment for his actions he has been stripped of his Head Boy title and will be sitting with the Gryffindors until he can conduct himself in an orderly manner. As such, the new Head Boy for this year will be… Terry Boot."

The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables burst into applause, as the Gryffindors and Slytherins clapped about three times each, still trying to digest the information about Draco. When The Headmaster sat down everyone started talking.

"He can't do that! I refuse to sit at the same table as that snake! He'll poison the food! He'll make out goblets portkeys and transport us to You-Know-Who…"

"His name is Lord Voldemort, Ron."

"Whatever. The point is he can't do that!"

"Leave him alone Ron. He hasn't done anything yet."

"Why are you defending him?"

"Stop. You two only just made up. You can't go back to fighting so quickly."

"Sorry Mia."

"Yeah, sorry Hermione."

Harry dropped his head to his plate after casting a glance in Draco's direction. He was holding one of the golden forks and was staring at it intensively with his eyebrows together slightly.

'_Why does he look like he's never seen a fork before?_"

"Harry? Are you ok?"

He snapped his head up to look at Ron fiercely. "I'm fine. Just not hungry. That's all."

'_I'm going to have to talk to Draco'_ he thought, '_It should be easy enough. I can't just ignore that I saw him crying. Or that he came in my dorm._'

"Harry?"

"Yeah. What?"

"Something's wrong. Do you want to talk about it? Is it about Snuffles?"

"Hermione. I don't want to talk about anything. Why can't you understand that? I just want to forget everything. To just push it as far down inside me as I can. And no it's not about Snuffles!"

Harry stood up and desperately biting his lip, he fought his tears and left the hall. He didn't noticed Draco following him.

* * *

Harry ran as fast as he could into the nearest bathroom and locked himself in a cubicle. He sat down and burst into tears. Draco could hear him when he entered the bathroom too. He cast a silencing spell around the walls and locked the door.

"I know you're here." He said clearly to the locked door that Harry was on the other side of.

"G-Go away M-Malfoy." By the sound of things Harry had stopped the sudden burst of waterworks until Draco left.

But he wasn't going anywhere, and he told Harry just that.

"I'm coming under." He added and lay down on the ground and slid into the cubicle. Harry was sitting on the toilet (with his pants up) shivering slightly.

Draco stood. "You know, a bathroom isn't the warmest of places, and I don't thing your cold appreciates being somewhere so…cold."

"Shut up. I'm s-staying here." Harry swallowed and tried to stop his breathing from being so jerky. Draco pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to Harry, who blew his nose.

Then Draco the first thing he could think of. He pulled Harry to his feet and wrapped his arms around him again. Harry stooped over a bit and buried his head in Draco's chest. He started crying again and he wrapped his arms around Draco as well. Draco patted the back of Harry's head and whispered things in his ear.

"Shhh. Everything's going to be ok, Harry."


	9. You Always Hurt The Ones You Love

**Summery:** Draco decides to stay away from Harry for their last year at Hogwarts. But being separated from him finally makes Draco realize how much he cares for the depressed Gryffindor.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioneD in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon**

Ch9: You Always Hurt The Ones You Love 

After a decent amount of time crying, random muttering and coughing into Draco's chest, Harry was able to slow his sobbing to just the occatiional hiccup.

"S-Sorry. I kinda made a mess of your robes." He said, referring to the one sneeze he had forgot to suppress.

"It's alright." Draco said softly. "No harm done." He had been too interested in the lovely blueberry smell to notice anyway.

Harry lifted his head up and looked at Draco with his puffy blood-shot eyes, which were full of confusion and he slowly sat back down on the toilet.

"Are you ok now?" Draco asked

"I should be."

"Do you feel any better?"

"Surprisingly, yeah. I do."

Draco turned, "Then my work here is done."

"No! Wait!"

Draco paused with his hand on the toilet door lock. He could hear Harry's heavy breathing behind him.

'_Why does he want me to stay? Why did I even follow him? I'm an idiot, now things between us are going to be even weirder. I've only just come to terms with the fact I'm attracted to him… Crap! Attracted is definitely the wrong word._' But there was the feeling that maybe attracted wasn't that incorrect.

"I guess we're even now." Draco stated stupidly.

"No. Were not." Draco raised an eyebrow when Harry said that and turned around slowly to meet his gaze. "You've helped me twice now. I haven't helped you. Not every once. Even when I came to see you, I just stood there and watched you cry."

Draco stiffened because he could have sworn he heard someone trying to cover up a snicker, but it wasn't Harry, because he looked completely serious.

'_Must have imagined it._' he frowned, still standing stiffly.

Harry miss read this. "I'm sorry to bring it up." He hung his head. "I've just been worried about you I suppose."

'_Is he blushing?_'

"Harry. I'm fine. Really."

He looked up, unconvinced. "Why did you have a bruise on your face when we were on the train here?"

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was time for him to spill his guts, in a manner of speaking.

"Father." It was strange how one word could have so many emotions come with it. Hate, anger, disappointment, loyalty, jealousy and, of course, sadness and pain.

"Sorry."

"I don't want to talk about it. And stop bloody apologising. There's no reason too, it's not your fault." Harry mumbled something under his breath that normal hearing wouldn't be able detect. "Harry. Those deaths were not your fault." Draco wrinkled his nose in contempt. "That's not what your crying about is it?"

Harry shot him an icy look anyone would have thought was impossible for The-Boy-Who-Lived to make. "No."

Draco gave a look that clearly said 'what was it then'.

"I just want people to realize that I won't talk about things until I'm ready. I'm afraid they won't understand, and it's so hard to describe it to them."

Draco paused to think about this. "I know how you feel, so wether you want to be or not, you're not alone." While Harry was pondering this, Draco was able to slip out of the bathroom and head down to the dungeons for another class with the Gryffindors.

What he had said to Harry was something Draco wished he could hear from someone. Words that let him know there was someone that would listen when he wanted them to. And it was clear Harry needed someone to say that to him.

* * *

Blaise carefully opened the door. He had just heard a very interesting conversation, where he had found out a number of equally interesting things. Most of which could be used as blackmail, but he wouldn't do that unless he was desperate, he had too much pride for that.

Walking quickly out of the small bathroom he went out into the corridor and headed off to potions with the Gryffindors, he prayed he wouldn't get a spot near Longbottom.

* * *

Harry dreaded potions for a number of reasons. One was the Snape was in a much worse mood. Another was the obvious fact that Snape was a greasy bastard. The other was that it was with the Slytherins, and because it was with the Slytherins, Draco would be there.

Harry had been finding himself drawn to Draco recently. There was a new element if mystery to him now and something was definitely making him act different. Then there was his skin, which had managed to heal from a nasty bruise to a porcelain white, which suited him rather well. He wanted to know more about Draco, because when he had held him during his 'breakdown' (as he had dubbed it) it felt so right.

"Potter!"

Harry realized he had walked the whole way to potions and opened the door with out realizing it. Now Snape was bearing his teeth and spitting as he loomed over Harry, berating hi for his tardiness. Most of it just went in one ear and out the other.

Eventually he was able to sit next to his cauldron with out being bothered by anyone. He had been paired with Dean Thomas.

Harry looked around at the pairs closest to him and saw Draco with Pansy hanging of him ('_so very typical_'), Crabbe with Goyal (Harry laughed at Snape showing his stupidity by putting them together), Hermione with Ron ('_lucky them_' he thought it in almost a bitter way), and Blaize with Neville (Blaze didn't look too happy).

Harry wasn't paying much attention to how he was cutting the ingredients; he was watching the way Draco and Pansy interacted with each other while his knife slipped with every cough on whatever it was cutting.

* * *

Draco tried to focus on cutting his roots into little slivers, and not on Pansy's hand, which had found its way to his thigh. He shifted uncomfortably as it snaked its way up higher, Pansy's face showed no emotion.

Her hand finally rested on his crotch and gave a squeeze. With a sharp intake of breath he lifted her hand up (he almost had to pry it off) and laid it to rest on her own genital region. She looked at him with a flirtatious look on her face and Draco couldn't halp but inch away from her.

"Keep your hands to yourself Parkinson." He spat at her and she looked taken aback by the use of her last name.

"But Drac…"

"You better not be about to call me, what I think you're about to call me."

She whimpered and bettered her eyelashes.

"Do you have something in your eye, Parkinson." Again she looked shocked and slightly betrayed.

"Y-you've never used that tone of voice with me before. Don't you live me?" She said weakly.

Draco laughed a high, cruel laugh that he had heard Voldemort use when his father had stuck his head into the fireplace to deliver a report.

"I despise you Parkinson. I can't even look at your face without feeling the bile rise in my throat." He said it slowly, and in a cold tone of voice, which Pansy hated. He ran his finger up his throat as he spoke, just for affect.

"Fuck off." He said, adopting a sharper and harsher voice the normal.

Pansy looked lost and Draco thanked his lucky stars that he had finally gotten it through her head. And it only took a werewolf level of tolerance to do it.

Before he knew it, Pansy had taken the knife off Draco and shoved it into his thigh, Draco swore loudly. "No one dumps me." She hissed, her demeanour changing at lightning speed, "No one." She got up and stormed out as Snape was making his way over to Draco to see what had caused his profanity.

Snape pulled the knife out before producing a small vial out of his robe pocket and pouring it over the gash. Draco was starting to feel light headed as his potions master was doing this.

"That knife had some of the ingredients on it any your leg bled more then it would have normally, that potion will stop the bleeding and some of the pain, but not all. Go to your room and have a lie down. If you see Miss Parkinson, tell he to stop what ever she is doing and come see me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

He got up swaying slightly and he stoped and grabbed onto the edge of Harry's cauldron for support as a stabbing pain shot through his leg; he felt like he would pass out. He pushed himself up and tried to walk again but it was his dizziness that made him collapse.

"Professor Snape." Draco couldn't see who it was, but he recognised the speaker's voice as Harry's. "I don't think Malfoy can make it on his own."

"You go with him then… And ten points from Gryffindor for making an excuse to get out of class." He added when Harry was already half way to the door with Draco's arm over his shoulder. He rolled his eyes and Draco managed a small, half-hearted chuckle.

* * *

Harry lowered Draco into his bed and covered him in his black and silver blankets.

"Thanks Harry… Shit, you're bleeding."

Harry's finger had a deep cut on it. "Yeah," he said sheepishly, "I cut in when you yelled. Scared me half to death." Draco smiled, apologizing quietly as he sat up. Harry raised an eyebrow. "I noticed that you had freckles before."

"I don't have freckles!"

"Yeah you do. There blonde. No one would notice it they didn't look closely." He quickly reassured Draco, "There on the bridge of your nose and cheekbones."

"I'll have to spell them off tomorrow."

"No! Don't! I like them, but if you don't, then it's your face, you may do what you wish with it."

"They'll stay then, if they're not that bad."

Harry smiled and Draco noticed it lit up his entire face when he did. It gave a warm fuzzy feeling he wasn't used to getting.

"It's a nice bed you've got, much smaller then I expected though."

"I've always preferred smaller beds. They're much more pleasant."

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Still a bit light headed, but not as much anymore, and really tired."

Harry smiled again. "Sleep." He said simply, standing up and walking towards the door.

Draco decided to take a chance. "What, no good night kiss?" Harry paused before walking back over and resting his hands on the bed. He slowly lent towards Draco and then pressed his lips softly onto the blonde's.

Draco closed his eyes and pushed his lips back. He sucked a bit on Harry's bottom lip and Harry returned it on the top.

"Thank you Harry." He said, as they pulled apart.

"No. Thank you Draco."

* * *

It took two days for before Harry's cold started to annoy Draco because technically, it wasn't Harry's cold any more; it was his. He felt like shit and didn't help that he didn't have Pansy to wait on him hand and foot, which usually made him better.

Draco was sitting in bed, leaning against the headboard with his blankets wrapped around his body as tight as possible. His bed was littered with used tissues and he had his knees up with a muggle sketchbook resting on them. Two hands stuck out from the cocoon of bedclothes, one held the sketchbook steady and the other clutched a quill.

He was putting the last little touches on a picture of a werewolf on the cliff edge, silhouetted against a full moon and framed by tree branches. Spells had been placed on it so Draco could use shading with the ink.

It was going well, until Draco sneezed, sending a jagged streak of ink over the entire page. He swore under his breath and let it fall to the ground, throwing the quill to the other side of the room.

'_Fucking cold. That was an awesome sketch too, and then, in one sneeze, it was ruined. Stupid bloody fucking cold… What The Fuck!_'

An owl had flown in the window and dropped a letter onto his head. The owl left before Draco could get a look at what type it was. He saw what the letter was though.

Draco, personally, had never gotten a Dark Howler, but had seen his father get them from Lord Voldemort. From watching his father, he knew it wasn't a very pleasant thing to get. Draco figured that since it was a howler, the result would be worse if he didn't open it.

With trembling fingers he turned it over and broke the two wax seals, one was the Malfoy family crest, and the other was the dark mark.

As soon as they were broken it felt like the room temperature had dropped by at least thirty degrees. It chilled Draco to the bone and the envelope attached itself to his chest above his heart. It felt like his body was covered in spiders as the feeling of electricity ran through his body.

"Draco Malfoy."

The bodiless voice echoed through his head without bothering to go through his ears first. It was cold, chilling voice, and everything was pronounced in a way that he could hear every capital letter and punctuation mark.

"You have failed to send owls to your father, Lucius Malfoy. Only one has been received."

Draco bit his tongue against the pain, filling his mouth with the rusty taste of blood.

"We have been informed that you have been relocated to the Gryffindor table during meals. Because of this, we are expecting you to comply too our demands. We also want you to befriend the mudblood Gryffindor, Hermione Granger."

The envelope detached itself from the outside of Draco's silk pyjamas and lay on the floor where it burst into flames before it's ashes seemed to sink into the floor.

Draco fell to his knees, white, shaking, and coughing uncontrollably. Repressing the urge to be violently sick over the entire carpet, he wiped his sweat-covered forehead with his sleave. He guessed it was written by Voldemort and (judging by the seals) was approved by his father. Draco was able to drag himself up onto the bed and curled up into a ball before passing out.

* * *

**A/N:** Soon there will be an entire chapter about Draco's werewolf-ism. But there's not much to say about it untill the closer to the full moon.


	10. It's Not If You Win Or Lose, It's How Yo...

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in The Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch10: It's Not If You Win Or Lose, It's How You Play The Game

It was the last day of October; Ron had booked the Quidditch pitch for the few hours of the morning that were before the match, by using his 'Weasley charm' (that's what he called it anyway) to convince Hooch to let him do some last minute training. Harry couldn't see the point of tiring himself out before the actual game, so he just hovered above the others.

Draco watched from the stands. He was hidden, so he wasn't going to be accused of spying, even though that was exactly what he was doing.

He was watching Harry, as he had done every other time the Read and Gold team had trained. There was something about Harry that got him thinking. The boy had been in so many dangerous situations, had so much put on his shoulders and been given so many opportunities to give up on everything, but somehow he still kept on fighting for what's good.

The dark howler had left Draco thinking about the war, though he didn't really have a choice in what he would do, since his father seemed to make all of the important ones for him. It was like being a dog (or ferret) on a leash; only being allowed to go so far before being yanked painfully back a few steps.

What would the dark side say if he refused the mark right to Voldemort's face? What would the light side think if he got the mark, even though it wasn't what he wanted?

It was to confusing. Draco felt like he didn't belong on either side. To evil for the light side, to good for the dark, and it was getting really lonely standing in between as the mutual party.

Draco sighed and headed down the stand steps, it was going to be a long day.

Then there were the instructions to become friends with Hermione. What was that about? He would find out soon, there had been a note on his bedside table that he found when he regained consciousness. It had said 'Await further instructions. We'll contact you soon'

His muscles were tense and sore due to the upcoming full moon, which was one night from then, and he was dragging his feet as he walked into the castle. He lost control of his senses as he approached the Great Hall. The smell of breakfast tickled his nose and begged him to go in and eat.

The sound was almost defining, but with his head held high and stubborn look in his silvery-blue eyes he walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Almost immediately he reached for the bacon, ignoring the feeling that it would taste better raw and dripping with blood.

Harry, Ron and the rest of the team came in and swarmed over to the table, breaking off as they sat with different groups. Harry and Ron joined Hermione halfway up the table. Draco continued to eat his meat.

A few minutes later Harry and Hermione came up and sat opposite him, as did Ron, much to his surprise.

"Hi?"

"We thought we'd join you Draco." Said Hermione. It brought the memory of the dark howler to his mind again and he started to worry about the muggle-born sitting diagonally to him. Why would the Deatheaters want his to make friends with her?

He ignored the urge to warn her. He raised an eyebrow. "We?"

"They forced me here." Ron snapped at both Draco and the world at large.

"Oh, how heroic of you to come, weasel." He replied, with no feeling what so ever. It earned a scowl from Ron and an eye-roll from Hermione. Harry was just watching. Draco noticed he wasn't eating. "Aren't you going to eat, Potter?"

Harry flinched slightly at his last name. "I'm not hungry. So that's a no, Malfoy."

Draco scowled at his surname, but hid the scowl's reason by making a snide remark. "I know that was a 'no'. Just because I'm sitting at this table doesn't mean I'm as slow as everyone else that sits here."

"You do realize," piped up Hermione, "That the quicker you get along with us, the quicker you can go back with the rest of the snakes."

"I don't have to get along with you. It just has to look like I a..." He was cut off as he felt his nose twitch. He hastily grabbed a napkin and used it to cover his nose as the smell of the food (and what was left of his cold) became too much, and triggered a series of rather powerful sneezes. He blew his nose afterwards and cursed softly.

Harry lent over the table and brushed back the platinum blonde hair that had fallen in front of Draco's face before sitting back down. Draco liked what that felt like, despite his surprise.

"Bless you." Said Harry, his green eyes sparkling.

Hermione looked at Draco, then at Harry, then back at Draco before saying, "Gesundheit", with confusion showingin her voice.

Both Harry and Hermione looked at Ron, waiting for him to say something. Draco didn't expect him to, so he continued eating

"Whad?" Asked Ron, when he saw his friends looking at him, spraying food over the table as he spoke, forcing Hermione to scoff and look away in disgust, Harry to roll his eyes, and Draco to cringe. It seemed that even an important Quidditch event couldn't stop him stuffing his face. If Harry had an appetite he would have lost it watching Ron.

For some reason Draco didn't think anything would spoil his appetite that morning, so he kept eating his bacon, but in way that was definitely more refined then the way Ron was.

* * *

"Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the school year!" Shouted Colin Creevey. He had taken over the job of the announcer. Mainly because he was hyperactive enough to be able keep up with what was going on. "This will be a great match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw! I hope those Quidditch robes are thick 'cause you can definitely tell winter's just around the corner!"

Draco flung one end of his loose scarf over his shoulder to fight the breeze.

He shivered 'C_reevey's not kidding._' He thanked his lucky stars that it wasn't him out there on a broomstick.

After a while, the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw team cam out onto the pitch and Colin let out an excited shriek that almost deafened everyone close to him. Draco winced when his delicate werewolf hearing heard it. There was a faint ringing noise in his ears that would last for days after the match.

Ron and Cho shook hands in a very businesslike way and mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch went out in between the two teams and said her warnings. Play fair, I don't want any bloodshed, etc.

Then the whistle blew…

"And they're off! Gryffindor in possession!…"

The game went on for a while, Ravenclaw were winning near the start, but Gryffindor ended up winning, and not just because Harry caught the snitch. Gryffindor were seventy points up before that happened.

Afterwards (of course) the Gryffindors went off to their common room to celebrate, with what Draco suspected to be smuggled food, brought by Fred and George through a secret passage.

And, as usual, two other houses were invited. Slytherin was not one of them. Knowing what would happen if they showed up uninvited, they stayed in their common room while the girls gossiped about those at the party, the guys pondered why girls liked gossiping so much. The guys that weren't into talking much were arm-wrestling

Draco wasn't putting much into the conversation. He was wallowing in self-pity as well as feeling strangely isolated. He was brought out of his 'trance' by Blaise.

"Draco? Draco! Draco Don't-Make-Me-Use-Your-Middle-Name Malfoy?" Several people snicked.

"Huh?"

"Dude, are you ok?"

"Yeah, fine. Why?"

"You look like shit. And you're not sayin' anything."

"I'm just not feeling to well. I think I'll go for a walk." Draco rose from the couch and took two steps before Blaise grabbed the top of his arm to stop him. He spun around to see Blaise was standing too.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Draco gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Blaise sat down and muttered something to himself. It went ignored.

When Draco had got to the entrance/exit someone called out to him. "Hey, Draco. What is your middle name?"

"Amadelus." He shot over his shoulder as the wall slid back into place.

* * *

Draco wandered (as he was used to doing) through the castle. His stomach ended up leading him to the kitchens, where he ordered two really, really raw, large pieces of steak. He ate happily and went for seconds and thirds. He was half way through his sixth piece of steak when a strangely familiar house-elf came up and handed him a letter.

"He-Here. This came for you." He (or she) turned away and walked as fast as he (or she) could without causing suspicion. After the letter had been dumped on the table.

Draco suddenly remembered where he'd seen the elf from, so he called out to him. "Thanks Dobby" The house-elf turned around and looked at one of his former masters with a look of horror and surprise on his face. Draco smirked and picked up the letter. He vaguely remembered something about Dobby when he was working at the manor, but dismissed it as he unfolded the parchment.

It was written in his father writing

I need to know the town the mud-blood lives in. I can work out the rest of the address form there. I will know if you're lying and if you tell her we need it. 

That was it. No explanation why he wanted the address. Draco snarled in a very wolf-like way. No one ever told him anything. He ripped the parchment in half out of frustration. Dobby had appeared next to him and got his attention.

"What?" he snarled.

Dobby cowered. "Your eyes have gone yellow Young Master Malfoy, sir." He whimpered, and then ran off.

Draco sighed exasperatedly. "Sorry Dobby." Dobby froze. He didn't need to turn around for Draco to know he had the same look of surprise/horror as before. Draco chuckled momentarily forgetting his anger.

* * *

In order to get back to the Head Boy room, Draco needed to walk past Snape's private quarters. Normally the door would be shut, locked, bolted and have several spells placed over it, but tonight it was ajar and Draco could recognize two of his Professor's voices.

"Just hurry up Sev."

"Stop complaining, this is for your own good you know."

"It's a bit late to be fixing it now."

"Well, Catherine, It wouldn't have been late if you had shown me before."

"I didn't want to worry you." Fable laughed, "You have to admit, you have a habit of overreacting when it comes to this type of thing."

"I only overreact when it happens to you." There was a silence.

Draco approached the slight opening and moved a bit to the side to try and see what was going on.

Fable was sitting sideways on the couch facing, away from the door with her legs crossed and her top off. Her back was covered in bruises and Snape was gently rubbing a thick blue potion on them. The thing that surprised Draco the most was the blush that had made it's way onto Snapes face.

Draco turned and ran, out of fear that he wouldn't be able to control his laughter for much longer. He decided it was a moment he would treasure for a long time. After all, how often was it that Professor Severus Snape's face was a red as a tomato? No one would believe him.

Those bruises on Fable's back looked pretty bad though. '_I wonder how she got them_'.

He ended up coming across another open door, but this time it was his.

"Hey! What's going on?"

Dumbledore turned around to face Draco. "Oh, Mr Malfoy. I did send an owl as to why we would be here. Did you get it? No? Yes, I thought not, it's still on your desk unopened." He spoke as if he were talking about the weather, which angered Draco further.

"Why. Are. You. And. Boot. In. My. Room." He said through gritted teeth.

Terry Boot narrowed his eyes at Draco. "It's my room now, Malfoy."

"But this has been my room since fifth year. My father paid for me to stay here."

"We need this room for Terry. You don't mind if you move back into the Slytherin dormitories do you." It wasn't a question.

"Why now though?" asked Draco. "It's been days since he became head boy"

"Ah, yes. Well I've have to arrange to get money transferred from my account to your fathers." Dumbledore indicated the three large trunks that were now full of Draco's possessions. "If you don't mind levitating these up to your dorm as soon as possible. Thank you."

Draco felt a muscle in his face twitch and he covered it up by snarling and he pulled out his wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa." The three trunks floated up and Draco followed them out, doing his best not to turn around and curse Terry into oblivion with every curse he knew. It was probably not the best thing that wolves were territorial.

"Hey, Malfoy." Terry called after him. "Don't feel bad about loosing your room, the better man won in the end. Just be glad you don't have to go to the Gryffindor dormitories."

Draco let his trunks fall to the ground and he spun around pointing his wand at the Ravenclaw boy, who had come out of the room. "Do you want to say that again?" He had never heard his voice go like that. It was in between a growl and a hiss. He didn't think it was possible, and he was slightly unnerved by it.

Terry raised an eyebrow and smiled innocently before walking back into the room. Draco followed him in, ignoring Dumbledore as he did. Terry was leaning against the bed in a very territorial way.

Draco pointed his wand at the eagle on his robes, throwing all reason out the window as his inhuman instincts kicked in. "Cruci…"

"Expelliarmus." Dumbledore's spell knocked Draco's wand out of his hand before the unforgivable could be completed. "Draco Amadelus Malfoy, go to my office now." The sparkle in his eyes had gone and was replaced with a dangerously grave look.

Draco noticed his hands were shaking. He had lost control and almost tortured someone. Once again he could see himself becoming his father. He crossed his arms to hide his shaking. "Yes, sir." He said in a tense voice and he turned and left.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry if this chap's not very good. I got writers block 


	11. A Mans Gotta Do What A Mans Gotta Do

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**Author's Note(s):** There is more Werewolf-ness in this chapter then most of the others, and less Harry. There is a bit of him towards the end though. "'Wolf Speak'"

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch11: A Mans Gotta Do What A Mans Gotta Do

Dumbledore certainly took his time coming to his office. It was that old 'think about what you did' technique. And it was working. Except he was mostly thinking about the fact he had left his wand there.

The thing was that Draco had an excuse for taking such drastic measures. But he wasn't in any hurry to tell the headmaster that it was his territorial wolf instincts kicking in. So Draco walked around and looked at the various magical instruments, desperately trying to distract himself.

He was disgusted to find that most of them were silver.

"Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore appeared in the doorway and gracefully made his way over to his desk. "Sit."

Draco decided it was best not to object. "I'm sorry, sir" He said after a lengthy silence. "I got carried away."

Dumbledore's expression softened slightly, but the twinkle didn't return. Draco used his petty occlumency skills to block parts of his mind; He could feel Dumbledore trying to break it, but he wasn't trying very hard.

"By rights I should punish you. But I'll give you just a warning. There is still hope for you not to turn to the dark side. If it happens again you will be expelled. But be careful. Dark times are upon us and, unfortunately, you will have to choose a side in this war."

"I know sir. I am prepared to make my own choices as to which side I will fight for." This time Draco didn't mind sounding like his father. Not much anyway. It was the type of tone that didn't promise anything, but was almost smothered in confidence.

"Just remember Draco; it is our choices that show what we truly are, far more then our abilities. You may go now… And before I forget, here's your wand."

Draco left the headmaster office as a confused Slytherin. '_Not even a detention! Just some stupid advice about choices and abilities and shit. That man is defiantly going weird from old age._'

* * *

The trip to the Slytherin common room seemed longer then he remembered, but when he arrived there Lupin (who was expertly ignoring the comments of Draco's fellow house members) greeted him. 

"I thought you might like a chat, Draco." He muttered so that human hearing wouldn't be able to pick it up. Draco gave a small nod and followed his ex-professor to the Room of Requirement, but made sure there was a fair distance between them.

The Room had given them two incredibly comfy chairs with a table between them on a posh looking rug. Each werewolf took a seat and Draco discovered the chairs were recliners, so he took full advantage of it.

There was a brief silence as they both relaxed their incredibly tense muscles. Lupin finally decided to speak.

"How have you been coping?"

Draco shrugged dismissively. He knew lupin wasn't just trying to make conversation, and that he actually cared if Draco was alright, but Draco just didn't feel like explaining that his recent temper and territorial attitude caused him to almost torture another student.

There was silence. "What am I going to do?" Draco's voice broke slightly as he spoke.

"In the long run, I don't know. Tonight I'll stay with you in the shrieking shack. I've taken the Wolfsbane Potion so I'll be able to keep my mind, hopefully you in your Wolf form will recognize me as the Alpha-Male."

"Tonight? But the full m…"

"You don't take Astronomy, do you?"

Draco hesitated at the seemingly random question. "No"

"If you did you would know that Werewolves transform three nights a month."

"Oh."

"Oh is right." Lupin got up and walked over to the window, he looked sober and much older then he should have. "Can't you hear the forest calling you? Beckoning you to enter its darkness and hunt the creatures it conceals?"

Draco moved over to a second window and looked out of it. It did seem to be drawing him to it. He couldn't look away; it was almost hypnotic. The grounds looked cold and the wind rustled the trees. '_I'd give anything to feel that wind blow through my fur… Hair! Focus, Draco, focus; you have hair not fur… Not yet anyway.'_

"Does it hurt?"

He tore his eyes away from the window. Lupin was watching him, with some unreadable look his eyes. "I'm not going to lie to you, Draco. It will be painful, very painful. And it will never get any easier the older you get. But there are a lot of things that are worse." Lupin took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair before he made his way over to the chair he was sitting in previously.

Draco spared a quick glance at the forest again as he turned around to face his future Alpha-Male. He lent against the windowsill. "I know, sir."

"How many people know? Excluding yourself, because that much is obvious."

"You, Professor Fable and Hermione Granger."

"It's always good for at least one professor to know about it and Hermione's a bright enough girl to know she should keep her mouth shut."

"Butshe'sscaredofme." Draco mumbled under his breath, more to himself then anything.

"Pardon?"

"Hermione. She's scared of me. I couldn't just see it, I could sense it. Fear and pity." The last word was spat.

"You'll get a lot of that. As well as people who will think they're better then you are."

Draco couldn't help but notice the 'subtle' hint in that statement. He knew what it was, but chose it ignore it. Ignoring things was one of the tasks he did best, but didn't practice the skill very often though.

"I hate pity."

"So do I, Draco. It's unavoidable I'm afraid, you're just going to have to accept it."

"Just because it's unavoidable doesn't mean I'm going to accept it!" he snapped. Lupin gave him a look that clearly said 'calm down'. Draco took a deep breath, which, surprisingly, helped a lot. "Sorry."

"It's ok, quite understandable, really. I suggest you get some rest before tonight." He added before standing.

"Yes, sir."

He threw up his hands, "For that sake of my sanity, call me Remus… Or Moony if you're talking about my wolf form. Under no circumstances are you to call me, sir."

"You got it Remus."

* * *

The time Draco spent when he was supposed to be sleeping, he spent thinking. It was two hard to think with all the nerves about that night. It was much easier to distract himself by thinking. 

He was thinking of giving himself a nickname that he could use like Remus used the name Moony. It was a lost cause, he couldn't think of a thing.

He showed up for dinner and almost inhaled his food, which consisted of several different meats, before leaving the Gryffindor table before anyone else had finished. He got a few questioning looks as he walked between the tables, but most of them went unnoticed.

When he got out on the hall he walked for three minutes before he heard someone come up behind him.

"Draco."

Draco spun around to face Pansy, while crossing his arms to hide his shaking that came with being on edge.

"You do know that our arranged marriage must go through." Pansy snapped. "You're not allowed to go behind my back and have a relationship with someone else."

"I now that. I'm not stupid."

"Just checking." She responded sweetly, before turning around and walking towards Blaize, who was standing behind her. He had a thoughtful expression on his face.

Draco hesitantly turned around and continued to the main doors. There was something unsettling about the way Blaize had been looking at him.

* * *

Just outside the castle Remus stood waiting. He looked skyward and silently cursed the storm clouds that were accumulating. Despite certain beliefs, blocking out the moon did not stop the transformation. 

The doors castle doors, which were only slightly to his left, opened at lightning speed and shut just as quickly. Remus always got incredibly jumpy around this time and jumped and he whipped out his wand when he heard the door slam.

"Draco, don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry."

Remus looked Draco over. He didn't look like he had slept in the last few days, let alone that afternoon and it was clear the boy was shaking for another reason besides the cold, not matter how hard he tried to hide it.

"Are we going to go down there or not?"

Remus rolled his eyes at the boy next to him, before starting off towards the Whomping Willow, taking long strides as he went.

The trip through most of the tunnel was made in silence. The moon had started rising and it was making Remus's head spin. He knew what was coming up, and he also knew that he would be better off if he ignored the dizziness. Draco didn't know either of those.

"Draco, come on, it's not far now." Draco had turned a pasty yellow colour and had slowed down a great deal. "Ignore the dizziness and concentrate on getting to the shack. That's all you should be worrying about. Getting to the shack."

"R-Right." He stumbled and Remus steadied the Slytherin. The problem was the Remus wasn't much better off.

They reached the shack after a lot of effort and concentration. It took a while to work out who would transform where. Remus decided that it would be better if he took the bedroom up the stairs, since it was the place where the most recent bloodshed happened.

He lifted one of the loose floorboards up and placed his neatly folded clothes in there, then pushed the board down. He felt the skin of his bare body prickle and his stomach twist horribly; he retched at the feeling, but managed not to throw up. He heard (and smelt) that Draco wasn't as successful at that as he was.

His muscles felt like they were being stretched like a piece of gum before finally reaching a point where the felt like they had snapped. Remus fell to the ground, no longer having the strength in his legs. Each bone broke and immediately felt like they were being grown back by Skele-Gro, except extremely fast and in different shapes and sizes.

Claws burst from the tips of his transforming fingers. Remus closed his eyes. He always avoided looking at any part of his body while this was going on.

Eventually the pain stopped and Moony opened his eyes and braced himself like he always did. When he was sure he hadn't died from the pain, he shook the cold sweat from his fur. Pawing the door open he made his way down the stairs on four legs.

The house was in tones of grey and the many smells overpowered his senses. He did his best to ignore the ones belonging to Padfoot and Wormtail as well as the incredibly faint one of Prongs and made his way to the bedroom, where he could feel the presence of another werewolf.

The first thing Moony noticed about the new werewolf lying on the ground was his coat. It was clean, thick and looked soft to the touch, it was also the colour of a Golden Labrador, which was something he'd never seen before.

Moony was scrawnier then Draco-the-Wolf too, who was covered in muscles… Or was that just fur… It's always hard to tell. But that shouldn't be that much of a problem if it was muscle, Moony made up for his scrawniness with his hight. It was going to be hard to determine who will be the Alpha-Male

Carefully approaching the unconscious werewolf, Moony raised his front paw and whacked Draco-the-Wolf over the head. He skidded along the ground before, hitting the wall and slowly regaining consciousness with a snort. Moony puffed himself up slightly to make himself seem bigger.

'_This is it. Time to find out who will be Alpha. And with him being a Malfoy, this will not be easy._' Thought Remus. Draco-the-Wolf rose to his hind legs, but Moony towered over him.

"'You're in my territory'" Moony snarled.

"'You can't tell me what to do'" Wolf

Moony looked straight into Draco-the-Wolf's eyesto challenge him. They were bright blue with lots of amber specks through them.

"'State your name Lone Wolf '" Snarled Moony, his hackles raised.

"'Lycan'" Lycan's hackles were raised too.

"'Moony. And as I said before, this is my territory'" Teeth bared, Moony took a few confident steps toward Lycan, who stood his ground.

"'This… Hut, Has been abandoned by you for years'" spat Lycan "'You can't come back to claim it. I smell other species have been here too'"

"'They were my old pack'"

"'Ah, so I'm not the only 'Lone Wolf' here'" Remus saw in Lycan's eyes that he was ready to attack, Moony had to do it first or all hope of being the Alpha were lost.

He whacked Lycan as hard as he could across the face, leaving deep marks where his claws had dug in. Remus immediately felt guilty, but knew he had to do it. Lycan went up to strike and they locked jaws.

'_This is going to be a long night._'

* * *

Draco woke to the smell of blood, sweat, blueberries, vomit, pine and dust. He couldn't feel anyone else in the room. He tried to call out, but his throat felt like it have been scraped by sandpaper, so that didn't work too well. 

There were voices coming from the other room. One was scratchy and hoarse, the other sounded very familiar, and angry. Draco's head hurt too much to work out who the voices were but the blueberry smell was definitely Harry and the Pine smellmust beRemus.

He went to roll over so he could face the door, but was unable to move. He found that even thinking about moving his body he would get a shooting pain through it and his head, which was already throbbing without his help.

The door opened and the smell of blueberries grew stronger as Harry walked closer.

"Draco? Are you awake." Harry whispered incredibly gently, and slowly. Draco sighed in response. It was the best he could manage. "I saw you on the Marauders Map," he continued as an explanation. "I know you don't know what that is. I'll show it to you later. It's really good." He took a deep breath. "Anyway, I came because I was worried about you. I won't tell anyone."

Draco risked making his throat bleed by talking. "Thanks. 'Preciate it."

He felt the ground move and it occurred to him that he was on a bed.

"I know it hurts, so don't speak."

Harry's hot breath blew on the back of Draco's neck, slightly warming up his ice-cold body. It made him shivered and Harry must have noticed, because the next thing he felt was the bed moving again and a blanket being placed tenderly over him.

Harry lay behind him again and kissed the back of his neck. "Go to sleep now. Ok?"

Draco sighed again and slowly did what Harry hadtold him too.


	12. You Can't Choose Your Family, But You Ca...

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**Author's Note(s):** I was thinking of writing a sequel after this. It might be a time travel because I've been reading a lot of those.

* * *

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch12: You Can't Choose Your Family, But You Can Choose Your Friends

Harry woke to the sight of a sleeping Draco. He felt relived that they were facing each other, which meant that Draco wasn't as hurt as he was before he went to sleep if he could roll over without waking up.

He remembered waiting three nights after he had seen two dots marked 'Remus Lupin' and 'Draco Malfoy' go through the tunnel towards the Whomping Willow, before he followed. During that time he hadn't spoken to anyone, making all his friends incredibly concerned.

Most of his free time while he was waiting, Harry thought about Draco and how he felt about him. There was no use denying that he was attracted to the Pureblood, and there were hidden depth to him that Harry wanted to find.

Harry went over everything in his mind that had been running through there for the past two days. He ran his hand absentmindedly through Draco's hair, untangling the parts where it had matted together with blood.

He started mumbling to himself; not noticing the blonde's eyes had opened.

"It won't work not matter how much I want it. He's probably got the dark mark by now. It'll never work. We're two different people. He's probably not interested in me anyway. I couldn't be with him even if he was because of this stupid prophecy. I can't be with anyone because of this stupid prophecy. I'm destined to live my life alone. Not like Ron or Neville or Seamus or Dean… Even Snape can get someone if he wanted too. But I cant."

Harry's eyes pricked with tears. He knew he was just working himself up, even if it was true. He had a habit of doing that.

"Harry, stop, please." Mumbled Draco, "Don't make yourself cry. Ok?"

"Sorry." Harry whispered in return. And he took a few minutes to collect himself while Draco pushed himself up into a sitting position, groaning as he moved.

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind and closed it.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No. You were going to say something. What was it?"

"I was going to ask what you meant when you mentioned a Prophecy, but I thought it might be a bit tactless, since I wasn't supposed to hear."

"It would be, but not because of that."

"Why then"

"I've just never told anyone about it, and I don't plan too."

"Sometimes it helps to get things off your chest." Draco lifted Harry's chin so they were looking each other in the eye. Harry was still lying down with his arm wrapped around the pillow. Draco pulled his hand out from under the pillow and held it in his, squeezing it as a way of reassurance. "I don't have the Dark Mark if that helps."

Harry chuckled

"Please tell me." He asked again, but softer this time.

Harry looked at Draco's bare arm before taking a deep breath. "It goes: The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."

There was an uncomfortable silence, where Harry tried to desperately to keep from crying or storming off to throw something, and Draco absorbed all the information he had just been given.

He tried to think of something to say that wouldn't upset Harry much.

He settled on, "Fuck."

Harry looked blankly at the wall on the opposite side of the room and laughed harshly.

"Sorry Harry."

"S'ok. It's just difficult for me to have the entire fate of the Wizarding World, resting on my shoulders. That's all."

Now it was Draco's turn to laugh, though it was more of a scoff. "My father fed me some story that you have the perfect life, with lots of money, tones of friends, and guardians who love you…" He trailed off then scoffed again. "Everything I wanted, he told me you had. Don't suppose that's what your life is really like is it?"

Harry looked up at Draco "No. I have only a few true friends. Everyone else just worships me, for things I wish never happened. They're not friends. I do have a decent of money, but so do you though. And my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin... Let's just say I'd rather face Voldemort on bad day, then them on a good day."

"That bad huh?"

"Yep."

Draco shuffled down, so he was lying next to Harry and their noses were almost touching. "Can you forgive me for the way I've acted since first year. I have been grossly misinformed about you during my upbringing and was too proud to see past my father's words. For that I apologise."

"How on earth can you be so… articulate?" Draco shrugged the best he could while he was lying down and smirked. Harry smiled. "I forgive you."

* * *

Draco walked up to the castle while Harry explained some things Remus had told him. Draco listened with half an ear.

"Draco, are you listening?"

"Yeah, but I feel fine, why do I have to take it easy?"

"You have just slept so it doesn't feel too bad, but you'll be sore if you sit or lye down for too long and you'll be tired. You can also get headaches really easy. You got that."

"Yes, sir."

Harry smirked "Good."

They continued in silence while it drizzled around them. Draco pulled his new clean robe closer around him, shivering as he did. Then something occurred to him.

"Who came out as the Alpha-Male? Do you know?"

"Yep. He should have known better then to challenge a Malfoy in any form."

Draco sighed heavily. Again someone was judging him on his family's name. Harry swung around and blocked Draco's path to the castle.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Now move, it's freezing out here."

"Draco." Harry said dangerously. "Remember what you said about getting things off your chest."

Draco sighed again, "Fine. I don't like being called 'Malfoy'. It means people are judging my by my family."

"Oh. Sorry. Of course you wouldn't like being called that. What with what your father does to you and stuff."

Draco stiffened. "Yeah"

"Sorry."

"Don't apologise." Draco sidestepped around Harry and continued the walk, with the Gryffindor two steps behind him.

"It's a very touchy subject with you isn't it?" he called out. By now they were in the Entrance Hall.

Draco stopped and Harry stood next to him. Draco couldn't meet his eyes, so Harry looked at the side of Draco's head.

"Why do you care?" It was barely a whisper. "No one else ever has, so why you? Why now?"

"Honestly? I don't know. There's just something about you. I used to think it was arrogance. But after that day on the train I started thinking, maybe it was sadness. I was right too. It is sadness."

Eventually he brought himself to look at Harry. His emerald-green eyes were shining with concern, guilt and understanding. Not pity, as Draco had expected.

* * *

Harry sat the Gryffindor Common Room during his free period. Draco had made him realize that he was rather lucky that Ron and Hermione cared about him and his wellbeing, and that he had been rather unfair to them.

He had a book open over his legs. It was 'W_ays of the Werewolf: Everything You Need to Know by Anonymous_'. The page that was open displayed step by step instructions on how to brew the Wolfsbane Potion. It looked complicated, and Hermione would have much more of a chance to brew it properly then Harry.

As if on cue, the portrait swung open so Hermione and Ron could come in the room. They both looked rather flustered, with wrinkled robes and red, swollen lips.

Harry smirked since there was no need to ask where they were (it was obvious enough), he got straight to the point.

"Sit." He motioned to the couch in front of him in a friendly manner. They sat comfortable next to each other. Harry put the book down an the ground face down, so they couldn't see the title.

"I want to apologise for my behaviour this year as well as last year." He shifted in his chair. "I guess it's taken me a long time to get over Sirius's death. But there's been other things I've had on my mind that haven't made it any easier."

"We know there have been Harry."

"We just don't know what they are."

Hermione Shot Ron a look. "And for all you know Ronald, there might be an excellent reason why."

She looked To Harry for confirmation, and he gave it to her with a simple nod.

"I'm ready to tell you know though" He added. With a deep breath he repeated the prophecy and everything else that was said in Dumbledore's office the night Sirius died.

After everything had been said there was the worst silence Harry had ever heard. "Say something. Please. Anything." He begged quietly.

Hermione suddenly burst into tears and buried her head in her hands. Ron was still too stunned to speak or comfort his girlfriend.

Finally Ron's shocked expression contorted onto one of anger.

"Stupid Fucking Kreacher" He spat.

* * *

Not much happened during the next month. The full moon came and went and everyone had been too busy packing for the Christmas Holidays to notice his second disappearance from the grounds. Only Harry noticed, but Draco had a suspicion that Blaize was starting to suspect something.

Draco waved his wand and everything he needed flew straight to his trunk. He closed it with shaking hands and fumbled with the lock. It wasn't just because of the full moon, but from knowing that his initiation into the ranks of the Death Eaters was right around the corner.

He had received another note from the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. It had mentioned that he would have to help Hermione pack, and that he had to steal her address.

Somehow he had managed to do just that. He had found her address on an application form to a magical university that she had partially filled out.

It had given him a horrible, gut wrenching feeling as he'd sent it off. But (though the would never admit it) he was scared of the Death Eaters, Voldemort and, probably more then anything else, he was scared of his father. So he had to do it.

His mother, on the other hand, he could stand. She didn't have any maternal instincts, but at least she fed him and gave him potions when he was ill. Unlike his father who's theory was that if Draco was left to deal with it without help, then he'd be stronger afterwards.

As the train arrived at Kings Cross, another feeling washed over Draco and he made less of an effort to suppress this one then the others.

'_I hope Harry's going to be ok._'

The invisible carriage carrying Draco neared the mansion, and stopped half way up the driveway. The door opened on it's own and Lucius stood in the doorway. Draco stepped down and looked at his father, straight backed.

"Father."

"Draco." They locked eyes with each other. Then Lucius raised his hand and Draco flinched noticeably, expecting to be hit. Lucius glared at his son as if debating wether he should bring his hand across Draco's face, as punishment for being so weak. Instead he continued what he was doing and reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Your orders, to prove yourself. Make sure they're carried out properly. I will not have a failure in the family."

Draco got back in the carriage and unfolded the paper. His hands were shaking again.

_In the box under the chair you are sitting on is a Death Eater's robe. The driver will take you to an address where you will put the robe on and proceed into the house and kill the two adults inside._

_It is the Grangers' house, and the adults will be Mr and Mrs Granger._

_A while ago you were asked to befriend Hermione. This was so she wouldn't be suspicious when you helped her pack._

_After you killed her parents, you are to go outside then state the incantation 'Morsmordre'. Then get back into the carriage._

_Make sure no one sees your face, make sure you don't drop your wand, Make Sure They Are Properly Dead. You are under no circumstances to tell anyone about what happened at that house._

Draco felt like he was going to be sick. He managed to tell the driver to stop and to stumble out before he doubled over and was violently ill behind a bush next to the road. He felt a bit better but still didn't trust his stomach for the rest of the journey.

The Grangers' place was a nice house with a beautiful garden. Draco snuck around the back, hidden in the darkness of the night, and entered through the kitchen door.

A woman was in the kitchen washing the dishes, and Draco raised his wand and swallowed. To cast an unforgivable you have to mean was you want to do. Draco had to want to kill Hermione's mother with every fibre in his body, if he was to do this successfully.

He decided to want to not be killed by his father with every fibre of his body instead. And to not be killed, he would have to kill… twice.

"Avada Kedavra!" The woman fell.

There were footsteps coming from the other room and Draco flattened himself against the wall in the shadows, breathing heavily behind his mask.

A man came running in and stopped when he saw his wife. He knelt beside her and took her pulse. He let out a dry sob as Draco emerged from the shadows.

"Avada Kedavra!" The man fell.

Draco ran, casting Morsmordre over his shoulder as he got in the carriage. This time he didn't even think of stopping the driver before throwing up what was left of his stomach's contents.

* * *

**Another Authors Note:** Do tell me what you think of a sequel. And if you want it to be Time Travel or not, because I need to know what you alllike. It might not be for a while because I'm really bad at ending storys so this one might just keep on going and going and going...


	13. Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I do not own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books, which is very unfortunate for me.

**Author's Note(s):** Great responses for the last chapter. Thanks Everyone! I tried to get this chapter up quicker 'cause I kinda left you hanging with the last one.  
I've reread the previous chapters and cringed every time I saw I had left out a word or used the wrong one. I apologize. I don't have a beta reader and I usually can't stand reading my own stories, so (again) I apoligize.

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch13: Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

The carriage pulled up in front of the Malfoy Manor. Draco swallowed and stepped out, the moon glaring at him for what he'd done and the stars twinkling, painfully reminding him of Dumbledore, who had given him second chance, which he had taken advantage of.

Lucius stood in the doorway, Narcissa about a foot behind him.

"It's done." Draco managed to say. "I'm going to go to my room now. It took a lot out of me."

"Of course it did." Lucius agreed smoothly. "You need your rest anyway. You are to be marked tomorrow."

He stepped aside to let Draco through and he slipped past his parents and headed up the stairs without looking back.

He closed the door, went over to his bed and threw himself onto it. He buried his head in his pillow. His shoulders shook as he let his calm demeanour slip and the tears be released.

"My l-life is so screwed" he sobbed. He got up and took out his wand, blasting everything he could and sending every spell that came to his head at the various objects in the room.

But it didn't satisfy him. His positions hadn't done anything wrong, it was him. He was the one that couldn't stand up against his father. He was the one that was afraid. He was a coward. Draco started hating himself more then he ever thought he could.

He turned his wand on himself. The tip was pointed at his wrist and with tears still flowing down his face he muttered a spell

With a flash of light, large gash appeared in his pale skin. The smell of the blood made Draco freeze. This was the first time he had smelt blood (that hadn't dried or been cleaned up) since his bite.

He closed his eyes, held his breath and tried to sedate the 'inner wolf' that had stirred in his soul. He opened his eyes and held hishand down by his side, with his hand cupped. The blood collected in his palm and he licked it off. His skin prickled and the hair on his arms grew darker.

"Shit" he whispered. After wiping his face he focused on not transforming and ignoring the smell of blood that was making his head swim.

'_No! I will not loose control_'

"'_Yes… Give in and feast. You don't like your father anyway. Why not kill him?_'"

'_NO! Shut up Lycan. Go! Get out of my head._'

Draco gripped his head and crouched down. He wasn't going to loose this fight. It was bad enough being a werewolf, but he didn't need his father knowing on top of that.

As sunrise came Lycan decided to finally get out of Draco's head and it left the boy weak and with the worst headache he could ever remember having.

During the night, Draco had managed to smear blood in his forehead and it had matted in his hair.

He stayed in the shower for at least and hour. He just sat and let the water flow over him, not really doing anything. When he eventually got out he looked in the mirror and cringed. He had bags under his eyes and his skin looked dry and… grey.

He put on black pants and a dark grey shirt, to make his face look like it was at least white. He put a dark green robe over the top and went out into the hallway. Down the main staircase he met his mother.

"You don't look well."

"I'm fine mother."

She raised a carefully shaped eyebrow then breezed past him and up the stairs. Draco let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Your father's in the dinning room." She shot over her shoulder before disappearing into the main bedroom.

Lucius was sitting at the end of a long table and dabbing at the sides of his mouth with a napkin when Draco came in.

He looked his son over and didn't bother to hide his disgust with what he saw.

"Eat before we go." He stood and strode out of the room, knocking Draco's shoulder painfully as he went.

Half a piece of toast later, Draco was ready to go.

* * *

_Miss H. Granger,  
__We regret to inform you that on the 20th of December 1997, one of your neighbours called the Muggle Police concerning an unnatural shape in the sky. The ministry was informed and a teem of Aurors proceeded to your family's place of residence.  
__Miss Granger, unfortunately, your parents' lifeless bodies were found on the floor of the kitchen. Our department determined the cause of death to be the Killing Curse.  
__The wand used for this crime was not found but we have detected a magical signature.  
__We are all terribly sorry for you loss and hope you will find comfort in the fact that they died quickly, painlessly, and that we are doing all we can to trace the spell back to the wand that cast it, and the witch or wizard that owns that wand. Signed,_  
_The Magical Law Enforcement Committee._

The ink ran as tears fell onto the parchment, and it shook as the hand holding it became unsteady.

Hermione scrunched up the paper and pressed it over her heart with both hands. She stood up and ignored the crash her chair made as it fell over. Running as fast as she could go, she disappeared from the living room, leaving several stunned order members behind.

"What the hell?" Ron asked as he came in from the hallway. He had seen Hermione run past.

Harry shrugged, "D'know. One moment she was sitting at the desk studying, and the next, she was running out."

Concern flickered in Ron's eyes and he frowned. "I'll go check on her."

"She was hugging a piece of paper, if that helps." Remus called from his favourite armchair, which had been brought from his house last year when he decided to move to Gimmauld permanently.

Ron ran up the stairs and stopped in front of an average looking door, he could hear sobs from the other side. He knocked lightly.

"Hermione?" He asked through the wood.

"Go away!" She sounded hysterical.

Ron took a breath and readied himself to have his head bitten off as he opened the door. At first he couldn't see his girlfriend, just a bed, wardrobe, trunk and several very thick books littering the floor.

He almost overlooked the quivering lump of blankets. He approached it cautiously and laid a hand somewhere close to the top, hoping that she wasn't upside down and he wasn't touching her thigh. It might give her the wrong impression.

Luckily, she was right way up and she threw the blankets off her head and slapped his hand away.

"I said 'Go away'!"

"Mia, please. I hate seeing you like this."

"Go and you won't have to see me."

Ron sighed, she was right as usual. But he couldn't just leave her there. He wanted to stop her crying. He wouldn't be able to sleep or eat until he knew what was wrong. And that would give him way too much free time, since sleeping and especially eating, took up most of his day.

All he wanted was for her to be happy.

But Ron wouldn't be able to tell her that, because when he tried to say anything meaningful, he stuffed it up. Everyone knew he wasn't good with words.

"I'm not going while you're like this."

"Stay then! But you're going to be here for a while." Hermione had retreated back under the blankets.

He sighed again and sat on the bed, resting against the headboard. He pulled the blankets off her and pulled her shoulders over his thigh was being used as a pillow. He brushed the strands of hair off her face that had become wet with tears.

She looked at him with brown bloodshot eyes. "Why won't you let me cry in peace?" she whispered hoarsely.

She had stopped crying now, but the sadness stayed in her eyes, and it didn't make Ron feel any better seeing that.

"I told you. I hate seeing you like this."

"Why?"

Ron's ears went red. "Erm…"

"Ronald." Hermione said dangerously.

"I'm in love with you." He blurted out. He avoided her eyes. Hermione gasped.

'_I can't believe he just said that._' She thought, '_It wasn't 'I Love you', it was 'I'm in love with you'.'_

A watery smile crept across her face. "I'm in love with you too."

Ron grinned cheekily, then became solemn again. "Will you tell me what's wrong? Please?"

Hermione closed her eyes, wiped her cheeks, gave a small sniff and pushed herself up so she was next to her boyfriend. She lent her head against his shoulder.

"They're dead." She said weakly

"Who?"

"My parents. Murdered by a Death Eater. They're trying to find out who." Her voice broke and a few tears slipped down her face.

Ron wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into him.

"I'm too tired to think about it now." She said. "But I'm thinking about it too much to go to sleep."

"You're going to have to distract yourself."

Hermione sniffed and smiled slyly. She sat up and started unbuttoning her top.

Ron's eyes went wide and his face went the colour of beetroot. Soon he, too, was smiling slyly.

* * *

Draco walked in silence as a million feelings made his guts twist. Remorse for what he had done, and what he would be forced to do, as a Death Eater, and apprehension about getting branded by an evil dictator, were just two of them.

Image had always been important to Draco. His father had always drilled it into his head

'What people see you as, Draco, determines your entire future'. That was what he had said

Draco was thinking about that as he walked beside his father from the apparation wards to 'The Riddle House'. His father thought that the best appearance for Draco to have was to have one of being powerful and not someone to walk over. But, by Draco becoming a Death Eater, he was being walked over by both his father, and Voldemort. It wasn't something that he wanted to do.

This would be a life changing decision. He had, at one point, considered becoming a spy for Dumbledore, but he wasn't good enough at occlumency to pull it off.

The adults (all dressed in Death Eater robes, complete with masks) made a large circle. Draco was shoved into the middle with Pansy, Blaize as well as Millicent Bulstrode and Theodore Nott.

The five stood in a line in front of Lord Voldemort, who towered over them with his crimson eyes gleaming viciously.

"With taking this mark, you are committing to this 'community' for life." Voldemort hissed. The group nodded. Draco tried to keep his face blank.

Millicent was the first to get it done. Voldemort's thirteen and a half inch wand pressed against her skin. Ink spread out from where it touched like a spiders web. The shadows of the courtyard seemed to grow darker and had a deep purple edge around them, but went unnoticed.

She looked like she was fighting back tears, and let out a whimper as the mark was finished.

Next was Draco. The wand pressed against his skin and it felt like it had pierced the surface. He didn't cry out, not did he flinch as what felt like razorblades seeped through his veins.

But something else was happening.

His blood grew cold his body tingled as the mark was stopped. The world spun for Draco and he closed his eyes. When it stopped, he looked down.

The mark was there, but not quite. It shimmered silver as he moved his arm, only seen from a few curtain angles. He looked at it, feeling completely confused.

"Well, well, well." Voldemort hissed. He turned to Lucius. "Were you aware you son was a Werewolf?"

* * *

Hermione glanced nervously at Ron. She hadn't said much since… That night. The night she (finally) lost her virginity. She recalled something her muggle friend, Beverly, once said. 'Virginity is like a balloon, it only takes one prick, and then it's gone'.

She felt slightly more confident now, and older, but it didn't change the fact her parents were gone. She still fought back tears when she opened her trunk and saw what they had bought for her to help with school, and when she saw Mrs Weasley bustling around the house.

She had told Harry what had happened (to her parents, not what happened with Ron) and asked him to tell everyone else, because she couldn't bring herself up to tell everyone herself.

She glanced at Ron again, and he was looking at her from across the table. She fought a blush. He got up and moved around to sit next to her.

"Please eat, Hermione."

She hesitated. "I'm still full from lunch."

He frowned "You haven't eaten since you found our about your parents."

"I-I" she tried to explain, but her eyes were tearing up.

"Don't cry. Just eat."

She nodded; his uncharacteristically understanding nature soothed her. She ate slowly as Ron watched. When she finished he put his hand comfortingly on her thigh.

"They wouldn't want you to starve."

"You're not acting like yourself." She said bluntly, trying to change the subject.

"I'm worried 'bout you, and I know what I want to do. It's like chess. You have to make the right moves to do what you have to do to win. All I need to do is to make you happy again, and keep you healthy, and I've won, because that'll make me happy. When you're happy, I'm happy. See?"

Hermione smiled. Then looked uncomfortable.

'_It's now or never_' she thought.

"Ron, I need to talk about… That night."

He nodded for her to go on.

"Yes… Well… I was confused, and distraught, and you were there for me. It was a mistake, and I'm sorry."

He looked disappointed. "That's ok."

He stood up to leave, but she grabbed his sleave. He looked at her.

"I meant it when I said I was in love with you." She said, eyes tearing up again.

"So did I."

* * *

**

* * *

Another Author's Note: I wanted to end on a happy note. I hope you like it because I had writers block at the beginning, so it's not very good.**

Please review and let me know if you liked it.


	14. Seek And You Shall Find

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I don't own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books.

**Author's Note(s):** Fred and George make their first appearance in this chapter. They're two of my favourite characters, but they're so hard to write.  
Just so you know, I only got this chapter out quickly because of the long weekend, don't expect it all the time.  
+Memories+

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch14: Seek And You Shall Find

Draco regained consciousness slowly and allowed his vision to clear before trying to see in the darkness. There was a light coming from somewhere above him and it showed patches on the grimy walls where someone had scrubbed away bloodstains.

He reached up and put his hand to his forehead, where a headache was forming; the consequences of several rounds of 'crucio', as well as many brutal beatings.

Every Death Eater had gotten at least five kicks and ten punches in each, before Blaize took him off for a private torturing session with Voldemort. The Dark Lord had used legilimency then thrown some unknown spells at Draco (between crucios) that didn't seem to have any effect. Eventually, he passed out.

Draco looked down at his arm; the silver skull and snake glistened up at him in silver. He had a metal band around his wrist, and he traced the chain attached, back to the wall.

He was thinking clearly enough to let his head stop spinning before trying to move from his slumped position.

Brick walls, metal door, stone floor, small skylight covered in snow, chains covering the walls. Interesting room, (not).

Draco stood slowly and cursed at his muscles. Then he cursed the Death Eaters, then Voldemort, the werewolf that bit him, and then he cursed the world in general.

He realized that his chains wouldn't let him stand up properly, they were too short, which could be used to his advantage.

He pulled the chain taut and put his foot up on the wall, then the other. He pushed against it with his legs.

Three things could have happened then; He could rip part of the wall out, the chains could snap or he could break one of his bones.

Two of the three happened. Draco heard his wrist break the same time as the chain. The force of the chain breaking, and the sudden relief of the pulling, flung him forward and he went face first into the floor.

Blood started gushing from his nose and it seeped into his closed lips. If it was just the smell of the blood Draco might have been able to control Lycan, but the taste was too much and Draco's mind became fuzzy as Lycan took control.

* * *

_A man sat in an extremely comfortable chair it felt like… velvet? He had an elbow on both the armrests and his pale hands hung off the edges._

_A boy with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes stood in front of the man in a bow. He looked about seventeen._

_"I know something you may like to know, my lord." The boy said clearly_

_"And what would that be, Zabini." The man said calmly. He had to be patient with his new recruits, he will break them in soon enough, but for now, they were ignorant on how to properly behave._

_Zabini seemed to bite back a retort and instead settled on saying, "It's about Draco and Potter."_

_The man sat up straighter, though, it would have seemed almost impossible for him to do so._

_"Go on."_

_"I think Potter and Draco have gotten closer to each other this year. And they might be more then friends."_

_"And why do you think that?" His patience with this boy was about to run out._

_"I heard them talking in a toilet cubicle." The man raised an eyebrow. "They've been helping each other, and they've cried in front of each other, which I thought was weird 'cause the last time Draco cried before this year was when he was seven, and if he did I don't think he would let any one see. And then Draco disappeared for a while and during that time Potter went kinda weird and quiet and he wouldn't eat properly. Then he disappeared and then they both came back to the castle together. I saw them."_

_"Interesting… you may go now."_

_"Yes my lord. My Lord?"_

_"Do you find something wrong with my order?" The man narrowed his eyes dangerously._

_"N-No, my Lord, but, tonight, why didn't Draco's mark work?"_

_"Because the Dark Mark doesn't work properly on half-breeds." He snarled "But I'm not too fussed about this. It may very well be the very weapon I've been looking for. Go! And rescue Draco from the Death Eaters' torturing. Then send him to me."_

_After a few minutes of silence Draco was dragged in by his collar. The man stalked over and grabbed the weak teen's neck. Draco gasped as he tried to breath. Then there were flashes of Draco's memories as the man preformed legilimency._

_+Lucius was beating a young Draco with a silver cane in the living room. Bruises covered the child's shirtless torso. Draco's nose was bleeding and his lip was cut. He was pushed back roughly and his back hit the wall.+_

_+A slightly older Draco was crying into his silk pillow, his window was open and it was letting snow in. Draco shivered violently and wrapped his arms around himself, for warmth and comfort.+_

_+Draco holding a black haired boy, Harry, and letting him cry into his shoulder. Draco whispered words of comfort.+_

_+The two boys lying together in a bed with red sheets. Harry's nose was pink and he was asleep with his head on Draco's shoulder. Draco had his arm around Harry and seemed to be going to sleep.+_

_+Draco Lying on the ground with the full moon highlighting his face. A werewolf came closer and snarled. It sank it's teeth into Draco's shoulder dragged it's teeth up his neck. Blood spurted out. Then it ran as a Giant came closer, and scared it off.+_

_+Draco and Harry in another bed, which had grey sheets and a layer of dust, they were just talking.+_

_+Draco crying in his room with Harry watching from the doorway. Draco had his arms around his legs and was rocking himself slowly.+_

_+In the shrieking shack Draco was kneeling on the floor. He threw up violently as his body shuddered. He called out in pain as his face morphed and claws burst from his fingertips. Golden hairs grew from his body, and his eyes darkened into a deep blue with flecks of amber.+_

_+Draco pointing his wand and saying the killing curse at an older woman who resembled Hermione.+_

* * *

Harry fell out of his bed and landed hard on the floor. He was tangled in his blankets and covered in sweat. His scar ached. 

He had his own room in Grimmauld Place now, so it spared him the embarrassment of someone seeing him having one of his dreams.

Tears threatened to fall but Harry forced them back. Draco wouldn't have done that. He wouldn't kill Hermione's parents.

Harry got up and started pacing, stubbornly ignoring his building headache.

It wasn't impossible for Draco to do it. He was a very powerful wizard. But he hated his father, as far as Harry could tell anyway, and by killing Mr and Mrs Granger, it made Draco sink to his father's level.

And Draco was smart enough to figure that out, so maybe he didn't do it. It could have been a Polyjuice Potion. Yes! That must be it! A Polyjuice potion!

Deliberately forgetting Draco was there, because it was his memory, Harry convinced himself that Draco didn't do it and was framed.

Harry tried to remember the rest of the hazy dream.

Blaize thought Harry and Draco were closer then just friends. But were they? It seemed like it, and there had been a definite change in the way Draco had been acting, and Harry liked it. What if Draco didn't feel that way?

These thoughts were disturbed by another part of the dream surfacing in his memory.

'_Poor Draco. Were the werewolf transformations really that bad? It must've been horrible for him to go through it alone_'

Harry stayed up for three hours going over the dream in his head, every part made him worry more and more about Draco. Eventually he climbed onto the bed and fell asleep, cuddling his pillow, and he started dreaming (for some odd reason) about Draco in a pair of leather pants laying on a waterbed, then the dream continued from there.

Harry was first awake in the morning and he snuck down to the laundry with his sheet over his arm. It was strangely sticky after the night before, and was glad no one was up to see the evidence of 'The Draco Dream'.

He passed the wall covered in house-elf heads, complete with it's newest addition; Kreacher.

"Hey Harry!"

Harry froze as the voices of Fred and George rung out in unison. Fred came up on his right, and George on his left.

"What are you doing so early on this fine day?" Asked Fred, as he gestured dramatically to the window, which displayed the start of a snowstorm.

"I could ask you the same question."

"Hey!" George threw up his hands in mock surrender, "It was just a question. No need to snap."

"Sorry guys."

"S'alright Harry."

"What have you got there?"

Harry cradled the sheet to his chest and tried to cover it with his other arm. "Nothing."

Fred snatched it off Harry and he made a frantic grab for it. "Don't know what your so worked up about. It's just a she…" He trailed off as he found the stain. He looked like he was desperately trying not to laugh. "Don't worry…It happens to the best of us."

Fred handed the sheet to George and pointed it out. "Oh! … Well… Someone had a good dream last night."

Slowly, the twins looked at each other and exchanged grins.

"Don't tell anyone." Harry snapped, and he grabbed the sheet back. His face was now very Gryffindor red.

"Oh, don't worry-"

"-We won't tell anyone,-

"-Not a soul,-"

"-No need to worry."

…They were still grinning at each other.

* * *

"Pass the marmalade, Ron." 

"Sure."

Ron passed the marmalade.

"I had one of 'those' dreams last night." Everyone at the breakfast table turned to Harry, who deliberately didn't look at the twins. "One of the ones where I can see from in Voldemort's head."

"Yeah, we know. What other type of dream would it be?" Asked Ron

Harry heard the twins snigger. "Some of the Slytherins in out year got the Dark Mark last night. Something went wrong with Draco's and he was given to the rest of them so he could be tortured. Then he was given to Voldemort and he used legilimency on him… Probably tortured him too." He tried to keep his tone light.

"We have to go get him." Remus said suddenly.

"Why. He's a Malfoy. Let the kid be tortured, 'cause he's not comin' here." Said Moody.

"I agree with Remus." Said Hermione

"Mad-Eye's right." Put in Arthur. "Malfoys can not be trusted."

Everyone stated talking at once, the majority saying he should be left there to rot.

Harry slammed his fist onto the table. "Why are you judging him by his family!" He almost shouted. Everyone fell silent and the air crackled with the amount of magic coming from Harry. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves! People shouldn't be judged by their families! Sirius is the perfect example of that!"

There was a pointed silence. Harry looked at his plate, disgusted at how quickly everyone had forgotten about his godfather.

Molly came out from the other room and put a hand on her husband's shoulder, obviously, she had been listening. "We should go get him." She looked at Hermione. "You should stay here, dear." She said to her. "And… rest." Molly had an odd gleam in her eyes.

* * *

Draco regained consciousness, again. He had scratched himself over his entire body, except his back, where he couldn't reach. He panted and kneeled in the middle of the floor. 

He still felt as physically strong as he did when he was in wolf form, but knew it wouldn't last. He had ripped the other chain off the wall.

He grabbed one of the chains with his arm that didn't have the broken wrist and pulled it as hard as he could. One of the ends broke off the wall, so it was hanging down from the roof.

Draco pulled himself up with his arm and held the chain between his feet as he climbed up. At the top of the chain he wrapped it around his arm so he could hang there. He smashed the skylight open with his good hand and the glass shattered.

Snow fell in and Draco shivered in the cold air. He managed to squeeze out of the skylight and pushed himself onto the snow. He looked around.

Not much could be seen in the snowstorm. A silhouette of a mansion in the distance told Draco that he was in some sort of bunker away from the house, so there wouldn't be anyone watching him.

He looked at his arm. His wrist was swollen and a purple-black colour and he had bruises around the top of his arm that was in a chain pattern. His other hand was full of cuts, and he had glass embedded in his hand between his knuckles.

His shirt was ripped and bloody, so it didn't provide much warmth. He stumbled under a tree so he could lean against the trunk. He trailed blood in the snow as he went.

* * *

Katherine Fable stood in a room that looked a lot like an employee lounge. The fifty or so Death Eaters that were with her were all grouped off in threes, fours or fives, except her. 

Kath sat on the table with her legs crossed while Severus lent onto it next to her. They were facing away from the others and were talking about Draco, as were almost everyone else. For the moment the duo were silent.

"Did you know?"

"Yeah." Kath sighed in reply. "That's why I told him to get in a fight in class, so I could take him to Dumbledore and say he should go to the Gryffindor table to eat. The Slytherin cutlery's silver, so he couldn't touch it."

Severus looked at her. He knew she always got down when they were doing Death Eater things, but she seemed much more depressed this time.

"Are you alright?"

"No. Not really."

"There's nothing you could have done, if that's what you're worrying about."

"Yes I could have. I cou…"

"You couldn't blow your cover."

Kath didn't say anything. She just looked at her hands, which were folded in her lap.

"They all beat him up for something he has no control over. He didn't ask to be a werewolf."

"Ahh, I see what's got you feeling so miserable." She looked at him. "It's the same way your friends acted when you were his age, after you told them you were half Vampire. They beat you up."

"You still remember that."

"Yes. I was so angry with them for that. Then I got angry at myself and… Well… you know what happened next."

"Is that the reason why you tried to kill yourself, because of me."

He took a deep breath. "I was a Slytherin. The people who did that were Ravenclaws. I was more prejudice then them, and when I found out that you, who brought the best out of me, who showed me I had a sensitive side, were a half breed, I felt so bad." He looked straight ahead, avoiding her eyes. "I'd always learnt that the only people worth knowing were purebloods. You proved that everything I knew was wrong. I started to think I wasn't any better then the Dark Lord. And I knew you'd never like me, even if you meant the world to me."

Kath put her hand on Severus's shoulder and squeezed it slightly. He expression went blank then she wrinkled her nose. "This conversation is depressing. Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"I d'know. What do you wanna talk about?"

"No idea. What do you want to talk about?"

"d'know. What do you wanna talk about?"

Severus laughed. Kath always liked his laugh. It was deep and husky and it sent shivers up her spine.

The door opened and Peter Pettegrew came in. "The plan worked. Draco's broken out and Dumbledore's people are searching for him. So that means you can all go home now."

**

* * *

Author's Note 2: **

I'll explain more about Katherine being Half Vampire in the next chapter. I'll also explain Volde's plan then too.  
I still need more opinions on a time travelling sequel. 


	15. Expect The Unexpected

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I don't own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books.

**Author's Note(s): **This chapter has a lot of Katherine Fable in because I thought she should be a bit more involved. Read The 2nd A/N.

"'Wolf speak"'

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch15: Expect The Unexpected

Kath walked in between the trees with Severus following close behind. She sniffed the air and picked up on the sent of blood.

"This way!" she shouted to Severus over the storm. Unsure of wether he heard her or not, she waved her hand in the general direction the smell was coming from.

As the smell got stronger Kath's gums stared to ache. She felt her teeth lengthen into fangs. She stopped as her senses were overcome. Severus came up beside her and grabbed her arm to let her know he was there to help, and to stop her from being blown away.

She pulled her arm away just enough for his hand to slide down her arm and into her hand. Their fingers intertwined.

"How far away is he?"

"Not that far now!"

They continued on. Every now and again they would almost run into a tree that they couldn't see through the snow, or slip and almost bring the other one down on top of them. Eventually Kath stopped and let go of Severus's hand.

She got down on her knees and brushed away some snow that had piled up against the trunk of one of the trees.

She uncovered Draco, who was either unconscious or asleep. It was hard to tell which. There was blood frozen over his body and his skin was whiter then the snow, but his lips were blue, as were his fingers.

Severus took off his robe and wrapped it around Draco. Kath lifted him up a bit and rested his head on her chest. She grabbed a rim of her own cloak in each hand and wrapped her arms around the frozen Slytherin.

Severus took out his wand and pointed it in a random direction. A silver mist shot out of it, barely visible in the snow. It had a grey, smoky figure in the centre of it. It looked like a giant spider. Then it took off like a… flying spider.

"They'll be here soon!"

Kath nodded at him, her teeth (and fangs) chattering. Severus crossed his arms and stuck a hand under each armpit. His soaking wet black shirt clung to his body and strands of hair had stuck to his face. Kath's ponytail dripped icy water down the back of her neck.

It was times like these they both really wished Voldemort would let them wear jackets and scarves with their Death Eater robes. Sweaters, at the very least. They had gloves, but they were just for show, not warmth, so they were useless.

Severus took a vile of a potion out of his pocket and gave it to Kath, who forced it down Draco's throat without bothering to ask what it was.

The smoky spider came back from rounding up the Order members, and four figures followed behind it.

Severus sneered when he saw they were all wearing thick jackets, and looked very snug with their scarves and thick gloves.

"You found him!" One of them yelled.

Severus just nodded. His throat hurt from yelling, he suspected Kath's was too.

The figure that was clearly Mad-Eye went through his pockets and found a long wooden spoon. They all reached out and touched it.

* * *

Harry paced the Living room while Ron read a Quidditch magazine in one of the armchairs. Molly had pulled Hermione aside on one of the couches. 

"Hermione, Dear." Molly said in a kindly tone. "What I'm about to ask you is a bit personal. But," She paused to find the right words. "Are you sexually active?"

"Mrs Weasley." Gasped Hermione. She blushed. "When you said it was personal. I didn't think…"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Hermione's blush deepened and she looked at the ground and nodded.

"You look regretful, dear."

"Oh, no, I'm not." She looked up. "But it was kind of a mistake. If you follow me. A spur of the moment kind of thing."

"I don't know how to tell you this. I have a sixth sense for these types of things. But, I think you're pregnant."

Hermione's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "What." She whispered in a high-pitched voice.

"I have a test if you want to double check, but I'm ninety percent sure you are."

"It was only a week ago. How can you be so sure?"

Molly just smiled and tapped the side of her nose. She got up, went into another room and came back with a small vial and a set on instructions, which were written in Snape's handwriting.

"I always keep a bottle with me, just in case. It's a habit for Weasley men to get women pregnant. If you are the Morning Sickness should kick in soon. Just a warning, dear"

"I have been feeling a bit off colour."

"There you go then, it's starting already."

Hermione stood up and went into the bathroom at the same time six people came in the room by portkey.

"Where's Draco?" Harry almost shouted at them. Kath opened her robe and Draco was revealed leaning against her wet, plum coloured top.

'_At least she's wearing a bra_' thought Ron as he looked at his Professors shirt, which clung to her slightly rounded frame.

McGonagall, Remus, Moody and Arthur took off their outer layers of clothing and piled them on the floor. Molly stood up and walked over to Snape and Kath.

"Go upstairs now and put some dry cloths on before you both catch chills. I've prepared the fifth bedroom on the third floor for you, Katherine. There are clothes for you both there. And give me your wet clothes when you come back down, I'll wash and dry them for you. Bring some down for Draco too."

"Wait! What? She's a Death Eater. Why is she staying here?" asked Ron.

"I'm a s-spy, R-Ron." Kath said through chattering teeth.

"Go." Scolded Molly, and Kath followed Snape out.

Draco had been moved in front of the fire and Harry had his arms around him. They were getting strange looks from Moody and McGonagall, but Remus was smiling at them both. Arthur was temporary healing Draco and bandaging him up, he put a bandage over the Dark Mark too, he did it with a dark frown on his face.

Snape and Kath came down the stairs. Kath was wearing light blue and Snape, dark green. Arthur used a replacing charm, which morphed the clothes Draco was wearing into the ones he was holding, and vice versa.

The pile of wet clothes was sent down to the laundry.

"We should get him up to the main bedroom. I hope you don't mind sharing, Harry, but yours is the only one with a fireplace."

"No, I don't mind."

Hermione came back in the room and had to flatten herself against the wall to let Draco pass (he was being levitated by Harry). She gave a small nod to Molly, who smiled in return and continued on her way to where Ron was sitting.

"Ron?"

He looked up "Are you alright, Mia? You look pale."

She smiled "I'm fine Ronald." She hesitated. Ron noticed and his eyebrows met in confusion. "I need to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

"I'm just going to come out and say it, ok?"

"Yeah."

"No beating around the bush."

"Yeah."

"I'm just gonna give it to you straight."

"Just tell me what it is Hermione!"

"I'm pregnant!" Everyone that was left in the room turned to look at the two. Kath and Remus had to get out of the room as fast as they could to stop from laughing at the look on Ron's face.

* * *

Harry tucked Draco into his bed and kissed his forehead. It was cold, so at least Harry knew he didn't have a fever. It took a lot to get a Werewolf sick anyway. He lit the fire and sat on the end of the bed cross-legged. With his hand on his fist, he watched the blonde until someone knocked on the door. 

Harry opened it to see Remus there. "Come in." He whispered.

Remus sat in one of the chairs in the corner and Harry joined him.

"You said this morning you wanted to speak to me."

"Yeah. I wanted to ask you what the transformation feels like."

There was a sharp intake of breath. "That's a personal question, don't you think?"

"Sorry. I just wanted to know what you and Draco go through. That's all."

"You really care about him."

Harry nodded. "I don't know why though."

Remus looked thoughtfully at Draco.

"I want to become a Werewolf."

Remus's head snapped back to Harry. "WHAT?"

Draco stirred. "Shh. Keep it down. You'll wake Draco up."

"Did you just say you wanted to be a Werewolf?"

"Yeah."

Remus grabbed Harry shoulders tightly and looked him straight in the eye. "Don't ever say that. Ever. If I ever hear you say that again. I'll kill you. Understand?"

Harry looked into his now bright yellow eyes. "I want to do it for Draco. I don't want him to go through being one alone. I mean, I know he has you but…"

"You love him. And you want to be there for him."

Harry thought about it. He looked at the floor. "You're right. I do love him."

Sighing heavily, Remus looked back at Draco. "Alright… When do you want to do it?"

"Don't we have to wait 'till the full moon?"

"No."

"Now then."

"You don't want time to think about it?"

"I already have thought about it."

Remus muttered something under his breath then stood up with a groan. "Come on then. Let's get this over with."

There was a quiet knock on the door and Kath came in. "Hello? Am I disturbing something?"

"No we were just leaving. Come on Remus, let's do this thing."

Remus followed Harry out, grumbling as he went. Kath crossed the room and sat sideways on the bed.

"You were listening."

Draco opened his eyes "How'd you know?"

"I could smell it."

Draco chuckled weakly. "Care to explain how?"

"I'm half Vampire. I was born one. I get it from my father's side."

"Do you think he'll do it?"

"Become a Werewolf? He seemed fairly determined. You can stop him if you want… Do you love him?"

Draco closed his eyes. "Yes. More then I thought I could ever love anyone. When I was lying there, slowly being covered in snow, I thought I was going to die, but I wasn't thinking about myself, or what was going to happen, all I could think about was Harry."

"Sounds like love to me."

"But now. I want him to go through with it and become a Werewolf, so we can be together on full moons. I'm thinking about myself, not him. I'm being selfish." His body gave a violent shudder and he wrapped the blankets around himself more.

Kath pulled a vial of potion out of her pocket and gave it to Draco. He drank it without question.

"Thanks Professor. For everything."

"It's alright Draco. But call me Kath or Katherine… Not Kathy though. Only Sev is allowed to call me that."

The smell of blood made it's way into the room. Draco's body tensed as he fought the wolf and Kath's fangs grew again.

"Remus must be using blood to make himself transform." Draco just nodded in response. "The blood will make Harry transform too." Again, Draco nodded his head. "Do you feel up to going down there and helping him through it?"

"No. I'd like to sleep. Suddenly, I'm just so tired." As if to prove a point, he yawned. Then Kath yawned too.

"I hate it when people yawn. I can't help but doing it too." She pouted and Draco chuckled.

"Nice fangs."

"Thankyou." She smiled to show them off.

"Any differences between being a full Vampire and a half Vampire?"

"Yeah. I can eat garlic, but it make's me feel sick. I can smell garlic, but it gives me a headache. I can go out in the sun, but not for long. All my body fluids have been replaced by blood and…"

She trailed off. Draco had fallen asleep cuddling his pillow, so she went to find Severus to annoy him. It was her favourite thing to do when she was bored.

* * *

Moony shook the blood out of his coat. He had won the fight with the new werewolf who called himself Eclipse. That established himself as second in command, with Lycan as first. 

He gave a celebratory howl at the roof. Now, if he could just get out to tell the Alpha that there was another addition to the pack. Another howl should be enough to alert him.

Eclipse stirred. He opened his eyes, which could be considered either green or yellow, depending on how you looked at them. His black fur was matted with blood.

"'Welcome to the pack, Eclipse. We shall wait for the lunar cycle to reach the full moon before I present you to the Alpha-Male. I can tell by your sent that he will accept you.'"

"'Our human forms, Draco and Harry I believe they call themselves, have already become close. I can recognize his scent from even down here, in this…'" Eclipse sniffed disapprovingly at the enclosed place. "'Basement. He is my life mate, and I must protect him.'"

* * *

W_ays of the Werewolf: Everything You Need to Know - Chapter 7: Mates and Bonds_

_Mates: Many Werewolves spend their entire lives searching for their life partner in their human forms. Truth be told, they will never be able to find one this way, for there is always the question 'are they the right one?'  
It is in the Werewolf form that they will be able to tell the scent of their life mate.  
Once they have picked up the scent of their life mate, they will gladly lay their live down on the line for him/her.  
In most cases both mates will be Werewolves, though there have been rare occurrences where one is not. When this happens, it means the love between them is especially strong. The human of the relationship will do anything they can to be with the Werewolf during the full moon, and with a love that strong, there is nothing anyone can do to talk them out of it. The Werewolf will automatically know not to get in the way, and will support them being together during the full moon, despite their better judgement. And if anyone else gets in the way of the couple being together, there will be bloodshed.  
Two life mates will be able to recognise each other in human forms.  
_

_Bonds: When two life mates have found each other they will seal their love by the act of sexual intimacy (to put it nicely). Though the act will not be pretty, as both partners will fight for control and will often be rough, it is a most romantic ritual.  
Afterwards they will be able to read each other's emotions, heal each other and they will share their abilities and magical power level (MPL), until the day one of them dies. The relationship will also mean a lot to both partners and betrayal, deceitfulness or any kind of fight between the two, will inflict physical pain on them both.  
If the two were to be sexually intimate the same night as the full moon, but before it rises, the transformation will be a lot less painful, and the werewolf(s) will be able to keep their minds until the full moon ends.  
The bond must be sealed before the closest full moon, or both will live a painfully loveless life._

* * *

**

* * *

2nd Author's Note:** I've made my decision. I am going to write a sequel. And it will be time travel. I think Harry and Draco should go back to teach their parents. I know it's been done, but I wanna try and do one for myself.  
It might not be as good as this one (cause I'm using all my brilliant ideas for this one) but I'll do my best.  
It'll also (hopefully) explain the Sev and Kath romance a bit more.  
If you don't like time travel fics, then you don't have to read it. It's a sequel so it'll follow on from this but I will not finish this one off in a way were you have to read it. It'll be your choice.I've made my decision. I going to write a sequel. And it be time travel. I think Harry and Draco should go back to teach their parents. I know it's been done, but I wanna try and do one for myself.It might not be as good as this one (cause I'm using all my brilliant ideas for this one) but I'll do my best.It'll also (hopefully) explain the Sev and Kath romance a bit more.If you don't like time travel fics, then you don't have to read it. It's a sequel so it'll follow on from this but I finish this one off in a way were you to read it. It'll be your choice. 

P.S. I wouldn't mind some suggestions for a title because I'm really bad at thinking them up. I want one that fits with this one… kinda.  
I was thinking 'The Tales of Werewolves.' What do you guys think?


	16. An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I don't own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books.

**Author's Note(s): **Sorry I didn't put Volde's plan in the last chap. It'll be in this one or the next one. Promise.  
There's a bit more romance too, but not much Ron & Hermione because I can write Ron very well.

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch16: An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Draco woke with an arm lying over the top of him that wasn't his own. It was Harry's. He gasped when he saw the scratches that covered the Gryffindor's body, and then swore when he saw his upper arm wrapped up in blood soaked bandages.

Draco knew that was where the infecting bite was and Harry's complexion was a sickly colour and he was feverish.

'_Was I this bad when I was bitten?_' Draco got out of his half of the bed and Harry whined and rolled over where Draco had been a second ago, burying his face in the pillow and subconsciously inhaling deeply.

Draco smiled slightly and he sighed. He went into the private bathroom, got a washcloth and a hair-tie then soaked the cloth in cold water and cast a cooling charm on it to make it even colder.

When he got back Harry still had his head buried in Draco's pillow. He tied up the shoulder length hair roughly so the back of Harry's neck was exposed. He rested the cloth on his neck and pulled the blankets up higher.

Not completely sure what he was doing, Draco sat on the bed and picked Harry up and sat him on his lap, still wrapped up in blankets. He dabbed the sodden washcloth over his mate's face and then undid some of his buttons of his shirt and dabbed it on his chest, while holding the boy close to him.

* * *

Remus sat at the table where the Order members were having a meeting. It was about Draco and the recent 'discovery' about his lycanthropy.

Kath had her sleave rolled up so her mark was visible. She was explaining that hers didn't work either, so it came out light grey, instead of red. Apparently the first time she was summoned, the mark changed and had a blood red outline around it, which became permanent, but changed to black when she was summoned.

"It's so unfair," she complained, "His is silver and mine is grey. Silver is so much cooler then Grey! Why can't mine be silver?"

"Kathy… Shut up."

Kath looked at Severus with concern in her eyes. He had his elbow on the table and his forehead leaning on it, looking down. And it wasn't like him no not have a witty (yet sarcastic) comment. The obvious display of vulnerability was incredibly uncharacteristic too.

She decided to ask him about it afterwards, correctly assuming that he wouldn't want attention drawn to it.

"I think it's obvious that he doesn't want him in his army anymore."

"Ahh, that's the thing, see?" Moody said mysteriously, shifting in his seat so he could put his elbows on the table. "Why not? He wants Dark Creatures for his army, so, why reject a werewolf that's the son of on of his most loyal followers. Because his planning something, that's why!" He slammed his fist on the table. Severus winced. "He wanted us to find him."

"Why would he chain him up in a room them?" Asked Remus.

"Why would he put chains on the walls that lead to the skylight, use weak chains to chain him up, have no guards, and be away from the mansion." Moody countered smoothly.

"You're just being paranoid. You always jump to con…"

"Katherine, Severus, do either of you know of what he might be trying to do?" Dumbledore interrupted.

"Mad-Eye's right Albus. He wanted us to get him."

"Do you know why?"

Kath glanced to Severus, expecting him to put his two knuts worth in, like he usually did. His posture didn't change.

"Not yet. But he should call us soon to brag." She said hesitantly. With another glance at Severus, she added. "Voldemort likes to do that."

'_At least the word 'Voldemort' got a reaction out of him_' Thought Kath, while Remus was thinking,

'_I'm going to have to tell them about Harry and Draco. They're all going to blame me, even if there was nothing I could do. He would have found another was of getting bitten. At least it was by me, and not one that didn't know not to kill him. Dumbledore should understand about keeping mates apart._'

Remus nervously half-raised his hand. "Umm, I think there's something else we need to talk about."

Kath knew about Harry and Draco being mates, but decided it would be much more fun watching Remus try to explain then explaining it herself.

"Umm." His eyebrows met in concentration. "It's about Harry and Draco." Dumbledore smiled encouragingly, his eyes twinkling at full power. "They're life mates. And Harry is now a Werewolf too." Remus physically braced himself.

All the order members started talking at once, with three exceptions. Kath, who leaned back in her chain and watched, Remus, who looked like he would gladly crawl under a rock and stay there to die, and Severus, who didn't do anything.

Like he had predicted, most of the blaming was pointed at Remus. He flung his fork on the ground and went down to grab it, and didn't come back up.

Dumbledore held up a hand and everyone fell silent. "Life mates can't 'choose' each other when one is not a werewolf if the love is unusually strong. When they realize they love each other, they will stop at nothing to be together. It was for the best, I'm sure."

Remus appeared from under the table. There was a tense silence that Kath felt she needed to break.

"Hiding under the table, Remus, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Disgraceful behaviour for a Gryffindor."

There was the scatter of laughter and Remus smiled at her in a silent 'thank you'.

"Well, if that's it then." Severus said suddenly and stood. Everyone else followed his lead and stood to go, but he was already out the door.

"Katherine, may I speak with you?"

"Yeah, sure Albus."

Dumbledore didn't speak until the last person had left and closed the door. "I am aware of your condition, despite your efforts to conceal it."

Kath found herself blushing. "I'm going to abort, if that's ok with you. I'm only a month along, so I should be able to."

"Why? This pregnancy might be the very thing this order needs. Does Voldemort know you are carrying his heir?"

"No. I don't think he does. But it's a rape child. I don't want to have to explain it to my child when it's older."

"Is that the only reason?"

"That, and Voldemort's the father." She answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I would talk it over with Severus first if I were you. If you decide to keep it, you and Miss Granger can support each other until they're born."

"I'll talk to Sev. But, can you go tell everyone else as soon as possible?"

"Yes, I can. And may I say, congratulations on being able to hide it from Molly, as she seems to have a hidden talent at spotting these things out."

* * *

Severus lay on Kath's bed. His head was pounding in a way that made him feel like he was going to be sick, his nose was blocked, and he didn't have the energy to make a potion to help it go away. He groaned and rolled over onto his stomach.

He heard the door open and soft footsteps approaching where he was. The mattress shifted as someone sat down.

"Sev?" It was Kathy. He'd know her voice anywhere. He gave a muffled groan. "Are you alright?"

'_Do I look alright to you?_' he thought, and was going to say, but he settled on another groan.

"What's wrong?"

'_Damn it! I have to use words for this answer._' He turned his head to look at her. "I don't feel well, Kath."

She sighed sympathetically and placed a hand on his forehead. "You have a temperature, not too bad, but bad enough. You should get some sleep. You've been working too hard with the potions for Draco."

"I have to make some for Potter too now."

"I'll make them… Don't look at me like that. I can make potions almost as well as you can. And I need to talk to you about something when you're feeling better."

"Why not now?"

She chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. "No. I think I'll wait. You just worry about getting better, ok?"

"Ok. Kath?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you bring me a box of tissues please?"

"Sure thing, Sev."

* * *

Hermione crouched next to the toilet bowl, which was where she had spent most of the day. Ron sat on the bench next to the sink.

"Mia, you've been bent over that thing for ages and nothings happened. Can we please go get something to eat?"

"You can go Ronald, but I'll stay. I'm going to be sick."

Ron sighed. "If you're this determined to puke then shove your fingers down your throat."

Hermione rolled her eyes. Ron sighed again. "I'm going to go get food. Do you want me to bring you some?"

"No, it'll just make me sick."

Now it was Ron's turn to roll his eyes. He left to go get something. On the way he ran into his mother.

"Hello Ron, dear. I haven't seen you all morning. How's Hermione?"

"She leaning over the toilet and won't move until she's thrown up. But it looks like it'll take a while before she does."

"Bring some to her, the smell should set her off." Said Kath as she passed with a box of tissues in her hand.

Molly nodded at Ron then looked back up at Kath, she raised an eyebrow. There was something about Kath, she could sense it, but it wasn't pregnancy, she didn't have that natural glow, and she should be getting tired and have morning sickness.

"Why do you have a box of tissues?" Ron called after her.

Kath apparently didn't hear, since she was already at the top of the stairs.

Ron decided to take her advice and he entered the bathroom with a plate carrying eggs on toast, which was more of a breakfast type of thing, not lunch, but he didn't care. He was eating an apple too when he entered.

He offered her a bite and that seemed to send he over the edge. She threw up so violently she didn't stop until there was absolutely nothing in her stomach, except stomach acid, and there was a lot less of that.

"Ouch." She wheezed afterwards.

"Mia, I'm sorry. Do you feel better now?"

"I need to go lie down now." She stood up and used some mouthwash before leaving. Ron flushed the toilet for her.

* * *

Harry opened his eyes and tried to blink away the blurriness from his vision. He realized someone had taken his glasses off.

He lifted his head up and had to hold his hand to his mouth to stop himself gagging. The smells swamped him and his head spun. He found his glasses one-handed while the other held his nose.

Something moved underneath him, he jumped and went for his wand.

"S'not there." Someone mumbled. Harry looked down and saw he was lying on top of Draco. He could tell Draco smelt like vanilla and lavender, and it seemed to relax him. Draco lazily opened one eye, then the other.

"Draco. Where are we?"

"Your room. How're you felling?"

"Dizzy, and my arm's sore, but apart from that, I'm fine." Draco reached up and ran a hand through Harry's hair.

"You didn't have too do it, you know. I'm not worth it."

"Yes, you are. I love you, Draco."

"And I love you, Harry."

Harry lent down and pressed his lips onto Draco's. He sighed contently and ran his tongue along the opening of Draco's mouth. He opened up and let Harry gain access. They explored each other's mouth thoroughly before Draco broke the kiss because he needed air.

Then Harry ruined the romantic moment by breathing through his nose. It made him choke and Draco sat up quickly. "Are you ok?"

"I can smell everything. And it's making my eyes water."

"Don't breath as deeply and… Do you know when you can kind of taste a smell?"

"Yeah."

"Concentrate on tasting smells rather then smelling them. It takes some getting used to, but it'll work."

"Thanks." They both lay down again, Draco wrapped his arms around Harry, and he nuzzled his nose in the crook of Draco's neck to swamp his nose with the smell of Draco, rather then that of the dusty house. Then he pulled back. "Oh! Sorry."

"Why?" asked Draco, generally confused.

"You don't like people touching your neck."

"Nah. It's ok if it's you, I don't know why though, but it doesn't bother me."

"Cool." He resumed his previous position and Draco sighed contently.

* * *

Kath tried not to wince when Severus sneezed. It was difficult, because hearing it would make even Voldemort himself wince, but she knew it annoyed him when people did, so she did her best not to.

"Bless you." She said automatically.

He had slept a very short, light sleep before he woke up with a cold. At least his headache wasn't as bad.

He had insisted on watching Kath brew the potions. She had a table set up in her (their) room with five full, small cauldrons on it. One cauldron had a potion to help Severus get better, while one of the others was to help him sleep.

One was for Draco to help with his cuts and bruises, and one for Harry to help him control his enhanced senses.

The last one was larger then the others and contained a potion to help with morning sickness. When Severus had asked why that one was bigger then the others, she had said it was because Hermione would need three months worth, so there needed to be more. He didn't believe her.

"That potion only keeps for one month, after that it's poisonous, you have enough for two."

"I didn't know it didn't keep." She kept her gaze locked firmly on the potion in front of her.

"Katherine." He said dangerously. "I'm not in the mood."

She made her way around the table to the bed and crouched next to it. Severus raised his head off the pillow, sat up and turned on an angle so he could see her.

"I need your help making a decision, Sev. This may come as a shock, but…" She looked down, her eyes pricked with tears.

'_He's going to think I'm a slut. What the fuck am I doing? I should have just aborted._'

"I've been hiding it." She fought the tears, but knew it was hopeless so she let them come. "With every spell a-and potion I know." Her voice broke and she put her head down on the bed. Tears streamed down her face.

'_This is so fucked up. Why do I have to 'talk it over' with him anyway? He's not going to want to be involved with this. He's not the 'fatherly' type._'

She felt his hand rest on her shoulder. This was the first time he had ever seen her cry, and it worried him.

"Kathy, come here."

"Oh, Sev." She whispered weakly. He pulled her up onto the bed and opened the blankets up for her, she crawled under them with no objections. He wrapped his arms around her, but didn't say anything.

He really didn't need to though. She felt that him just being there was enough.

"I'm so sorry." She mumbled into his chest once she had calmed down. "I didn't want anyone to know… I-I'm pregnant."

He raised an eyebrow. " And who, may I ask, is the father?"

"Voldemort." She whispered. Before bursting into tears again. Severus turned his head to the side, away from Kath, and let out a series of painful coughs that shook his entire body.

Kath reached up and put her hand on his cheek. It felt clammy. "I'm sorry, Sev. You don't need all this dumped on you. That's why I wanted to wait 'till you felt better."

"You needed to get it off your chest, it's fine. Now, what did you want my help with?"

"I need to know if I should terminate the pregnancy or not."

"Merlin." He buried his head into her hair. "That's your decision. I can't make it for you. But what I would do is take that potion off the heat. Or it's going to overflow." He pointed to the potion in the middle without looking up.

"Oh, fuck!" She flew out of the bed and went to take care of the potion. Severus chuckled hoarsely, but was cut off by a sharp pain in his arm.

Kath gasped and held her mark. The outline had gone from red to black.

* * *

**

* * *

Author's Note Number Two: Sorry if Kath is dominating the plot. But her pregnancy is important for the sequel.  
Her pregnancy was made up on the spur of the moment to give Hermione some company.  
Sorry if the 'Voldemort's heir' is a bit overused.** Sorry if Kath is dominating the plot. But her pregnancy is important for the sequel.Her pregnancy was made up on the spur of the moment to give Hermione some company.Sorry if the 'Voldemort's heir' is a bit overused. 


	17. Love Is Blind

**Disclaimer:** As much as I would love too, I don't own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books.

**Author's Note(s):** I know you've been waiting for everything to get back to 'Draco killed Hermione's parents' thing, but I wanted to explain the bonding thing first. They'll find out about it in this chapter.

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch17: Love Is Blind

Kath had her arm around Severus's waist to help him walk to the Death Eater's headquarters, since he was still sick and didn't think he could make it by himself. Even though he didn't say it outright, Kath could see it in her eyes.

Even his robes didn't feel up to billowing like they usually did, and they fell limply around his feet.

"We're almost there."

They joined the others in the meeting room ten seconds before Voldemort walked in with his robes billowing healthily. The Death Eaters lined up along the wall in their proper order. Kath stood in front of the window, five people away from Severus.

"My plan," Voldemort began, "Has revealed a spy in our ranks." Two people went stiff. "By tapping into Young Mr Malfoy's mind during out torturing session, it allowed me to see through his eyes, to put it simply."

During these statements Voldemort had been pacing along the line. He came to a stop in front of his victim.

"Out of everyone here. It had to be you." He pointed his wand.

Severus swallowed, 'P_lease, no._' He thought,'_Don't do anything. Or let something distract him so he puts his wand down._'

"How DARE YOU?" He raised his hand and brought it down on Kath's face. He ripped the mask off to show her face and pushed her hood back, grabbing the back of her neck in a pincer-like grip. He got close to her that they were almost touching. She could feel his breath on her lips. "How dare you." He said again, softer this time.

He flung her onto the ground. Kath's stomach jolted horribly. Severus felt sweat gathering at the back of his neck.

Voldemort swung around to look at her with his wand still pointed at her. "Crucio."

Kath's screams rung out and echoed through the room. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and threw up violently. He lifted the curse and laughed coldly.

"You're a strong spirited woman Katherine Elizabeth." He taunted her with he middle name. "I would have thought you'd last longer." Kath's body shook, she gave a strangled whimper and curled up into the foetal position, her grip on her stomach tightening.

Severus's nose twitched and he slowly raised his hands to cover his nose. He let out a shaky breath of relief as the tickling grew.

"Ah-AH-ACHOO! Achoo!"

Everyone winced and turned away from Kath to look at him. Kath thanked her lucky stars that he had gone into a sneezing fit, and didn't seem to be in any hurry to stop.

She dragged herself across the floor, got out her wand and banished the glass. It shattered and it brought everyone's attention back to her. Even Severus seemed to be able to stifle his sneezes to look.

"Stop Her!" The Death Eaters were too late. Kath had stood up shakily and jumped. Her Vampire instincts making her land on her feet and no one dared jump three floors after her.

By the time they got down there, she was gone.

* * *

Draco woke up feeling lost. He reached out to see if Harry was there, but found no one. He raised his head off the pillow.

"Harry."

Someone moved in one of the chairs in the corner. "Hey," said Harry. "About time you woke up."

Draco groaned, rolled over and threw the blankets over his head. The mattress moved as Harry sat down.

"Kath was summoned. It's been hours and she hasn't come back yet." Draco rolled over, threw the blankets off and looked into the two pools of emerald.

"You worried?"

Harry sighed, "Yeah, Something's up. I can feel it."

"… All I know is I need a shower." Harry laughed as Draco got up and went into the bathroom, messing up his hair as he went.

Harry decided it was about time to fill Ron and Hermione in about everything, so he went downstairs to the lounge.

* * *

Ron sat and listened in horror. Hermione and everyone else in the room seemed to understand, especially the twins, who were trying to hold back their laughter. They obviously remembered the sheet incident.

"Malfoy?"

"Oh, Harry that's wonderful. Maybe now you won't mope around as much."

"Malfoy?"

"It's very romantic. It reminds me of Romeo and Juliet, sacrificing their lives for each other."

"Malfoy!"

"Ron!" Hermione and Harry turned to face him. "Shut up!"

"Ron's ears glowed red. "Did you hear about Kath?" he asked, to get off the topic of Draco.

"Yeah, Dumbledore came in and told us briefly. Didn't give us any details though."

"She pregnant. You-Know-Who's the father. She doesn't know if she should abort or not, so we have to give her some space… that's all we know."

"That's all we were told, too."

"I hope Voldemort hasn't done anything."

* * *

Kath curled up into a ball to shield herself from the harsh winds. She was sitting in an old stable close to the headquarters.

Her stomach seemed to have settled down, but it felt like bruised on the inside.

A figure came towards her and crouched down next to her. She couldn't see his face because he was hunched over and seemed to be trying to burry himself in his cloak as much as he could.

His breathing was harsh. "Are you alright?" Severus asked.

"What are you doing out in the wind, Sev?"

"Are. You. Alright." He asked slowly, pronouncing every syllable carefully.

She shook her head and rested it on her hand. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"What was wrong?"

"It just… hurt. I don't know why. Thanks for sneezing, by the way."

Severus laughed hoarsely, sat down and wrapped his arms around Kath to keep her and the baby warm. "Any time, dearest."

She pulled away and looked at him. "Did you just call me 'dearest'?"

Severus tried not to shift uncomfortably. "Yes."

She rested her head back on his chest and he wrapped his arm around her again.

"You haven't called me that since we were engaged."

He blushed slightly. "The order should be sending a portkey soon."

* * *

Draco entered the room and hesitated. Harry was sitting with Ron, who would surely still hate him, and Hermione, who made him feel like he had been punched in the stomach because of the guilt.

He went over to the bookshelf and looked for a book, any book, which would keep his mind off Hermione. Unfortunately, just books in general reminded him of the bushy-haired muggleborn.

There was the sound of two people landing in the hall out side. Kath's voice sent someone (who she didn't name) up stairs then everyone heard footsteps going up to the second floor.

Kath entered and looked over everyone. No one had ever seen her look as serious as he did then.

"Where's Albus?" she asked the adults.

"He's gone back to Hogwarts." Responded Arthur. "Why?"

"I know what Voldemort's plan is."

"You can use floo powder to talk to him." Remus reminded her, while pointing to the fireplace and the small container with the powder in it.

"I'll talk to him from Harry's room, since it's the only bedroom with a fireplace." She turned and left, after sparing a glance at Draco.

"Wonder what that bastard's done, or's going to do." Put in Moody.

Several minutes later Kath came back in, still looking as solemn as before. "I'm supposed to tell you all what he's doing."

"What Dumbledore or Voldemort's doing?"

"Voldemort." Everyone sat up straighter. Kath stood in the way all Death Eaters were supposed to stand. Looking forward with their back straight, hands behind their back, and face expressionless.

"During the time Voldemort spent torturing Draco he used a number of spells that tapped into his mind. Voldemort has been looking through Draco's eyes, so to speak."

Draco expected every one to start yelling at him straight away, but instead they all just turned to him silently. He didn't blush, though he wanted to.

"Did you know about this?" Harry asked him softly. He had gone extremely pale.

"OF COURSE HE DID." yelled Ron. "He's a Malfoy!" He addressed everyone in the room. "That's why he was getting close to Harry! To spy on him! He seduced him and then used the imperius curse to tell him he had to become a werewolf!"

Everyone looked like they believed Ron. "You all don't honestly believe that." Draco remained calm and used a superior tone of voice out of habit. But everyone else didn't see it as just a habit.

"Get out." Snarled Moody.

Harry looked very confused. "It makes sense. You wouldn't have killed Hermione parents for no reason." Harry's eyes dulled with betrayal and hurt while Dracos' shone with restrained tears at what his mate was saying.

Hermione gasped and stood up. "YOU KILLED THEM! YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF SHIT!" she screamed, startling everyone with her volume and choice of words. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Tears streamed down her face and she turned and fell face first into the couch, sobbing softly into the pillows and talking to herself.

Ron rose from his seat and Arthur got ready to stop his son if things got to out of hand, no matter how tempting it was to let Ron tear Draco to shreds.

"I should have known! Not only do you have to wreck Harry's life, you have to wreck Hermione's too!" He closed the space between them and dragged Draco up by his collar. He punched him as hard as he could in the eye, then the nose, then anywhere else he could reach.

Draco disappeared with a pop and a ferret ran as fast as he could to a mouse hole in the wall, dodging Ron's feet as it went.

Through the walls and out into the yard, down the street and blocks away, Draco transformed back into a human. The wind froze him and stung his eyes, but not as much as the building tears were. He still refused to cry.

He had to be able to keep his mind clear and be able to think logically if he was going to survive. He was too accustomed to being waited on by a House-Elf, and didn't know how to look after himself. He knew the basics, eat, drink, sleep, stay warm, but that's as far as his knowledge of the real world went.

Now they knew he was the one that killed the Grangers, the Ministry would be able to tell when and where he did magic from now on.

He had to live as a homeless muggle.

He thought about Harry and suddenly the urge to cry disappeared. His pain was beyond tears now.

Draco walked over to an old phone booth and smashed the glass without wincing. He picked up a shard and looked at it emotionlessly. He wanted to die, to end it all because there was no going back to the happiness he had. But he'd promised himself when he was fourteen that he wouldn't die with the mark of a lunatic on his arm.

* * *

Harry closed his eyes as chaos erupted around him. Ron comforted Hermione while Remus was verbally beating himself up for being tricked.

Kath and Harry seemed to be the only ones silent. Until she crossed over to where Harry was sitting. "Do you believe he knew about the spells on him?" Harry shook his head slowly. "Then go get him." Another head shake from the boy. Kath gritted her teeth in frustration.

Snape entered the room. He handed a torn page out of a book and a full potion vial to Kath and whispered something in her ear and left. Coughing as he went.

"This is a spell to undo the ones Voldemort did." Harry snapped out his daze and looked at the paper. "This is a potion to help him. Now. Take it and go. Quickly. Before he does anything stupid."

Harry kissed Kath on the cheek, snatched the page and vial out of her hands, jumped up and ran at an inhuman speed outside.

He followed the smell of Draco and blood to inside a phone booth, where a half-transformed Draco was trying to carve the Dark Mark out of his arm with a sharp piece of glass.

Harry quickly cast the spell Kath had given him and called out

"Draco." His mate seemed to be in a world of his own, so didn't acknowledge him. Draco was swaying slightly and breathing heavily, his eyelids fluttered and he fought to keep them open until the job was done.

Harry grabbed the wrist of the hand/paw with the glass and moved it away. Carefully taking the glass of Draco, he tipped the potion down his throat and Draco swallowed it without thinking.

Harry felt himself transforming but fought it. He needed to fight it to save the one he loved.

The cuts healed on Draco's arm, but if it scraped against anything they would open up again so Harry ripped a bit of his shirt off and wrapped the arm up carefully.

Draco was fully conscious now, and with the blood cleaned up by Harry, he was fully human too.

Harry took the blonde's hands in his, his tanned skin contrasted with the pale skin of Draco.

"I'm sorry." Whispered Harry. "I didn't mean to tell them and I should have stood up for you, but it was a bit of a shock finding out Voldemort saw us make out, and from your point of view too. I don't believe you knew about the spells, if you had me under imperius I would have known and been able to fight it."

He put his head down to hide his face and lifted Draco hands up and kissed them. "I'm so, so sorry." When he looked up and saw tears flowing down Draco's face he pulled him close and rested his mate's head on his chest.

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and held him as close as he could and Draco felt safer then, then he ever had in his entire life. But he couldn't say anything. He could just cry with full force into Harry's shirt. Not quietly either.

"Just let it all out, Love." He rubbed Draco's back soothingly. "It's ok to cry."

* * *

**A/N/2:** Well, there you go.  
The end's coming up very soon. I wanted to make it twenty chapters, but I think I'll only be able to do eighteen and an epilogue/very short chapter nineteen.  
The next chapter will explain Kath'sdecision and what it's got to do with Draco and Harry.  
It will also have Harry & Draco bonding, but nothing graphic, cause I don't know a lot of stuff about that and I'll probably screw (no pun intended) it up if I do. 


	18. The Needs Of The Many, Out Weigh The Nee...

**Disclaimer: **As much as I would love too, I don't own anything that has been previously mentioned in the Harry Potter Books.

**Author's Note(s):** This is the last proper chapter, so I've made it a bit longer then the others. Enjoy. There will be an epilogue so don't worry.  
/parseltongue/

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch18: The Needs Of The Many, Out Weigh The Needs Of The One

"Sev, why'd you come to find me? The wind didn't do anything good for your health."

Severus stopped coughing long enough to shoot an intimidating glare at Kath. He stumbled across the hall and into the dingy bedroom he was sharing with Kath then collapsed on the bed.

"Kathy?" He croaked

"Yes?" She closed the door behind her. "What's wrong?"

"I think I know what happened with your stomach. It was the baby. It was doing protection magic."

"This early in the pregnancy? Are you sure?"

"Positive. It's the Dark Lords kid, it's bound to be powerful." He put his hand in front of his mouth and started coughing again. He pulled the blankets closer around him. Kath brought over a potion and handed it to him.

She sat on the bed. "If I keep it, it will be." She sighed. "I don't know what to do, Sev."

He reach up and put his hand on her cheek. "Dearest. Whatever you choose to do, will be the right thing to do."

Kath lay down beside him and stared at the ceiling. He propped himself up on his elbow to look at her. "I think if I have this child, and we can keep him on the light side of this war," she started slowly, "then we would have a great advantage."

Severus saw doubt in her mismatched eyes. "But…" He prompted.

"But, I wouldn't be able to love it as much as I think I should. It'd remind me of everything that's happened that I want to forget… plus, if this kid really is powerful, I won't be powerful enough to control it."

"I can see your point. It's a hard one to call." He stopped, covered his nose and sneezed his biggest sneeze yet.

Kath got out of the bed and went over to Severus's trunk, which had been brought over by Dumbledore. She pulled out a handkerchief for him and noticed a small box underneath it. She took it out and crossed back over to the bed.

"Here, take it."

He blew his nose wetly. "Thanks"

"What's this, Sev?"

"Erm… Nothing. Give it here."

Kath kept it out of his reach. "I can't believe you kept the engagement ring!" She exclaimed as she opened it. Inside was a ring that was a bronze and silver snake with an emerald eye, and a sapphire eye. It was the ring he had given her, when he asked her to marry him.

"I don't know why I did." Kath looked into his eyes. "But yes, I kept it. Along with a broken heart, and a lot of false hope."

She smiled and raised an eyebrow, "False hope? How can you be sure it's false?" Severus held her gaze with a surprisingly large amount of will power. "Go take a hot bath, Sev, It'll help you relax and'll make the potion work faster. And you never know, I may just join you."

* * *

"I knew they were a couple!" Fred exclaimed as he pulled on an extendable ear. 

The twins were keeping a lookout for Harry to come back and they had gotten bored. Fred had come up with the idea of eavesdropping.

"There's a lotta love going 'round the place." Agreed George, pulling on his own extendable ear. He paused. "Maybe we should forget what we heard. It was pretty personal stuff. Like with the baby."

"George, don't you see? It would be an advantage if she had the kid. But she doesn't want it. So someone else in the Order needs to raise it."

"Yeah, but who? It'd have to be more then just one person if it's You-Know-Who's kid, they'd have to be powerful too."

They looked at each other and identical smiles crept across their faces.

* * *

The wind thrashed around Harry and Draco and they walked slowly back towards Gimmauld place. Draco cradled his bandaged arm close to him, and Harry had one hand resting comfortingly on Draco's shoulder. 

"They'll forgive you Draco. But I hope you'll forgive them, because you have to see this from their point of view. Things did look really suspicious."

Draco tried to keep the little dignity he had left by not looking at his feet. "I know. It was suspicious enough for you to believe it."

Harry stopped. Draco turned to look at his mate.

"I was in shock. And it hurt so much to see you look so betrayed. My chest tightened and my throat felt like it had closed up when I saw the tears in your eyes." Harry closed his own eyes so he didn't have to look at Draco. "When I saw what you were doing with that glass. I'd have done anything, and I do mean anything, to stop you."

"Harry?" Harry opened his eyes. "I'm sorry." Whispered Draco

"I should be the one apologizing."

They started walking again. "You already have. More then once." They stopped outside the front door. "How come I can see it, when Dumbledore's the Secret Keeper?"

"You know about that? Well, I inherited the place, you're my mate, so, in my mind anyway, it's yours too. Since I can automatically see it, you can as well."

"…Do you think I should go in?"

"Draco, maybe not. Go in ferret form."

"NO! I'm hoping everyone was too distracted to pay any attention to what animal I was. I don't need to remind them. It's embarrassing." He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. "I'll go in normally."

They made their way to the lounge room. Draco let his hurt arm fall to his side before turning the corner to go in a few steps behind Harry. He tried not to look at his mate's butt, and succeeded, but only just.

Everyone looked at them and the first thing the two werewolves noticed was that Ron and Hermione had gone. The second thing they noticed was that Kath had gone too.

"Draco did not have me under the imperious curse. I can fight it, so it would have been impossible… I love him. And if he goes, I go."

Harry raised his chin and set his face in a way that made him look like the poster child for the Malfoy family. Draco smiled lovingly at the back of his head and welcomed the warm fuzzy feeling that spread through his body.

"I for one," Remus began when he saw no one was in a hurry to say anything, "support this relationship and wish you both the very best when you… Ahem… 'Bond'."

Harry blushed. Draco smirked.

"I suppose there's nothing we can do about this." Said Moody reluctantly. Arthur agreed with even more reluctance then Moody. Slowly everyone agreed that they could accept this but wouldn't support or encourage until they were sure Draco was on the light side.

Their biggest critiques were waiting upstairs with two twin security guards standing either sides of their door.

Fred put out a hand to stop Draco from following Harry in. "Not you. Our dad may have accepted it, but it'd be better if just Harry goes in."

"Yeah Malfoy, just let them sort it out."

* * *

The room was dark with only a small bit of light coming from the gap between the curtains. The streak of light fell across Ron's face. 

It occurred to Harry that they would have spent a long time adjusting the curtains and the chair Ron was sitting on to get this effect.

"Ron. I'm sorry." He was starting to sound like a broken record. "I really am."

"No, you're not, Harry. You're not sorry. If anything Malfoy should be the one who should be saying sorry anyway. And he has no excuse for what he did to all of us for five years. Or for what he did to Hermione and her parents."

He gestured to the bed where the strip of light showed a figure sleeping soundly. Harry's eyes used the little bit of light to adjust his eyes to see the person's face.

It was Hermione, with a tear-stained face and her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail.

"She cried and cried and wouldn't stop until Kath came in and gave her a sleeping potion. Even after that, when she was asleep, tears were still running down her face… She punched the shit out of her pillow, too" He added as an afterthought.

"He did have a reason for ki…"

"What? What was the reason then?"

"… I don't know."

"How can you trust him, if you don't even know why he killed two innocent muggles?"

"… I don't know, but I just can. I love him, and am one hundred percent sure that he had a reason to do what he did."

"I doubt it." Ron turned away as if to end the conversation. Harry stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Then he tripped on one of the twins' extendable ears and fell flat on his face.

Fred and George went to help him up. Draco was about to help him, but made a quick decision that Harry would probably prefer it if he tried to get Ron to understand, rather then helping him up.

He dashed inside the bedroom and was met with the sight of Ron's glaring face.

"Weasley, sit down." The Slytherin demanded coolly. "I need to get a few things straight."

"I'll stand, but I am listening."

Draco did his best to remain composed and to keep his icy demeanour. The last thing he wanted to do was give the redhead any sign of vulnerability.

"If you are wondering why I 'got rid of' Hermione's parents, it was because of my father." Ron opened his mouth to say something but Draco raised a hand sharply and winced when pain shot up his arm, but he hid it expertly. "Let me finish."

"What happened to your arm?" Ron butted in. He grabbed it roughly and Draco yelped. Ron undid the cloth over it and his eyes widened. The motion of the cloth coming of had opened the wounds and Blood started oozing out if the Mark. "Did you do that?"

"I tried to carve it out of my arm." Draco answered quickly and pulled it away from Ron and cradled it again. "I'm used to cuts and bruises and things. It's fine."

"How can you be used to them?"

"My father. He beats me, for any reason. Mostly for disobeying orders… That's why I killed the Grangers. If I didn't, then I wouldn't have put it past him to kill me." Draco looked at his feet, finally swallowing his pride and dignity. "I did it to save my own skin… It was a typical Slytherin thing to do." He looked up. "I'm sorry."

Ron shifted his weight to the other foot. "I need to think about this." He said.

Draco bowed slightly and left the room; Harry was waiting for him in the hall. "How'd it go?"

"He needs to think about it. But I think it went ok. I need to get this looked at." He moved his arm slightly and Harry gently rested his hand on it.

"I'm sure Remus will fix it. He's really good at healing cuts and things. It comes with being a Werewolf before Wolfsbane I suppose."

* * *

Severus walked down the hall with a satisfied smirk on his face. His nose was slightly pink, but looked a lot less coloured then before he had preformed a concealing charm on it. His hair was clean, but sill looked oily because of the silkiness of it, which annoyed him to no end. 

The potion Kath had made for him had helped greatly, but he still couldn't help sounding a bit nasally when he talked.

"Hello Professor."

"Good Afternoon Professor."

Fred and George Weasley appeared next to him out of nowhere. He had learnt to tell the difference between them, so concluded Fred was on his left, and George was on his right.

"What have you been up to?" Fred asked with an all-knowing smile that put Severus on edge, though he would never admit it (to more then one person).

"What I do in my spare time is none of your business." He answered coolly.

"Anyway." George said warningly at Fred, before turning his attention back to Severus. "We wanted to know the situation with Kath and her pregnancy."

Severus stopped abruptly, and was careful to make sure his face remained as blank as possible, with the minor exception of one raised eyebrow.

"Well, we can't ask her." Explained Fred. "We were asked not to."

"So we thought you'd be the person to ask."

'_They know something. And they're not going to say what_' He decided. "What gives you the notion that I would be the one that would know?"

"You two are sharing a room."

"We're not as naive as you think we are."

Severus rolled his eyes and did his best not to loose his temper. "Nothing has been decided." He said with a note of finality, and started walking again, but they both came around him and blocked his path.

It was obvious that they were ignorant of attempts at ending the conversation. '_Subtlety is wasted on Gryffindors. At least now they might cut to the chase._'

"We have an idea."

"We think that she needs to put the baby…"

"Once it's born."

"Yes, Fred, once it's born, up for adoption."

"Then two powerful Order members, that will love it, can adopt it and raise it."

Severus went over the idea in his head a few times. It could work. But would anyone be willing to take in the spawn of Satan, so to speak.

"Two powerful Order members?" They nodded hopefully. "I hope for everyone's sake you don't mean yourselves."

"You think we're powerful?" Fred clutched his heart. "Sevvie, I'm touched."

Severus hissed between his teeth at then name, and narrowed his eyes.

"No, we don't mean ourselves." George put in quickly. "We meant two people who have no other way of forming a family other then adopting, who both had horrible childhoods and would want to see this kid raised properly because of that."

Then both smiled innocently and Severus looked away from their faces and at the dark hallway. He knew exactly whom they meant. '_It could work_'

* * *

Draco pushed Harry onto the bed with his newly healed arm and climbed on top of him before starting one of the most passionate kisses either of them had ever had. 

One of Harry's arms snaked it's way around Draco's neck, while the other went around his waist. Their tongues caressed each other at the same time as they fought for dominance.

They lost control of their senses and both inhaled each other's sent. The smell of Vanilla and Lavender calmed Harry and made him feel truly loved. It was almost hypnotic. The Blueberry smell of Harry drew Draco deeper into the kiss and it awoke a fire inside him that felt so… right.

Harry pushed himself towards Draco and forced them both to roll over on the wide bed, so now Harry was on top. The wolf inside him made it clear the blonde he was laying on top of was the Alpha-male, but he wasn't going to submit without a fight.

They rolled back over as Draco asserted his dominance. They broke apart for air and Harry gasped as Draco moved slightly and he could feel their erections rubbing together as they tried to break free from their restraints (better known as jeans).

Harry clumsily undid the buttons on Draco's deep purple shirt, shaking with anticipation, and then started licking the scar that used to be Draco's infecting bite. Draco barely restrained a yelp; he wasn't expecting that.

"Fuck." He breathed.

Harry lay back and looked into Draco's bright blue eyes with the amber mixed through.

"Sorry."

"For the love of Merlin, Harry, don't stop."

Harry tipped his head to the side, moving the light on his face and changing his eyes from yellow to light green because of it.

He continued his licking, but added some sucking as well. Draco's hands made their way down to their pants to free their pulsing members.

* * *

Harry lay and panted while his newly bonded soul mate was nestled in his arms. Even though they were both hot and sweaty, they made no attempt to move away from each other. 

Happy with the silence and the feeling of Harry's heartbeat in his ear, Draco closed his eyes and felt himself dozing off.

Gently sliding away from Draco, Harry got out of bed and went to have a long shower to wash the sticky substance off his skin.

Once this had been accomplished (it wasn't an easy task), he went down to the kitchens and prepared a breakfast for his lover on a tray. He really wanted to make up for what he had said and done the day before, but felt that nothing would ever be able to compensate.

He didn't know that Draco felt just as guilty as he did.

Harry sat with his legs crossed on the end of the bed, looking lovingly at the beautiful creature that was sleeping so peacefully. Love was a wonderful thing, and Harry felt cheated that he had never experienced true love… Until now, that is.

Draco stirred slightly. "Harry?" he asked, without opening his eyes.

"What is it?"

"As flattering as it is, could you stop staring at me?"

Harry chuckled and a smile lit up his face. Draco rolled onto his back and stretched, yawning as he did.

"I made you breakfast in bed. Too say I'm sorry."

"What for?" he sat up, leaning against the bed board, "There's nothing to say sorry for, Love, last night was amazing."

Harry chuckled again, this time at Draco's messed up hair, and in return got a smile that could have won more awards then Gilderoy Lockhart's.

"There's nothing you need to be sorry for. If anything I should be the one apologising."

"Shh." Harry lent across the bed and gently rested his hand on Draco's slightly swollen lips. He lent in and they kissed softly. Suddenly, Harry remembered reading something.

/I love you/ He hissed in Parseltongue.

Draco's eyes widened. /I love you too/ he replied in the same language.

"Looks like you're a Parselmouth too."

Draco smirked "I'm going to have a shower. Want to join me, perhaps."

"I've already showered." Disappointment flashed in Draco's eyes, it didn't go unnoticed by Harry. "Another one couldn't hurt though."

They made their way to that bathroom, the tray of food lying forgotten on the bedside table.

* * *

Severus sat across the table from Dumbledore with his hand gently holding Kath's left hand, and on her finger lay her engagement ring, the snake's eyes sparkling in a way that would put Dumbledore's to shame. 

Dumbledore had his eyes closed and his elbows resting on the tabletop, his hands clasped together as he thought.

"It could work." He started, slowly. "It would make sense too. Now that they've completed the bonding ritual, they will both be Parselmouths. This child will undoubtable be one as well. If they refuse however, I'm sure the Weasley's will be able to raise the child. They, unfortunately, will need financial support."

"If Potter…" Severus paused momentarily when Kath gave him a look. "If Harry and Draco do refuse guardianship," He continued, as if he hadn't been interrupted, "I will be more then happy to give them unlimited access to the riches I inherited when my parents died."

"I'm glad to hear it." He smiled, his eyes twinkling in the way that made Severus grit his teeth. "Congratulations on your engagement. Now, do send Minerva to me if you happen to see her, I believe she owes me fifty gallons."

* * *


	19. All's Well That Ends Well

**

* * *

**

**The Tale of a Dragon  
**Ch19: All's Well That Ends Well  
(epilogue)

It was raining heavily this particular Halloween. Luckily, Flitwick had cast a spell very similar to the bubble-head charm, which formed an invisible dome over the school's Quidditch pitch that the rain ran down.

It could only be described as magical, but, then again, all marriages involving at least one pureblood were. Mainly because it was traditional for all purebloods to have their weddings on Halloween.

The muddy ground and wet grass looked like someone had come in with a very large oval sheet of glass and put it down. The grass was squashed, which made interesting green pattens, but felt like solid ground.

Though the students had been sent home for the two days, many pairs of feet were dancing over the surface.

In the middle, on a slightly elevated part of the floor, two figures were dancing slowly, despite the slightly up-beat song.

The newly proclaimed Katherine Elizabeth Snape rested her head on her husband's collarbone easily, while his arms, which were around her waist, squeezed her slightly.

"This is perfect." Severus whispered into his wife's hair, ignoring the silver flowers that she had put in her bun.

From a table that had a large variety of foods on platters that looked like crystal, but had silver threads through them, Harry stood, watching the newlyweds.

Severus wore dress robes of that looked dark green up close and black from a distance. His hair was clean (Harry could barely believe it) and was pulled back with a dark green ribbon, leaving wisps of hair in front of his face.

Draco was convinced Kath's dress was white, but Harry pointed out that when the light of the floating candles hit her, it looked like the dress had the colours of the rainbow woven into the fabric.

A noise from the bungle in Harry's arms and brought his attention back to the two-month-old baby he was holding.

Draco came back from his little stroll with two classes of cheep champagne. He had explained that expensive champagne wasn't always better. Harry didn't have anything to compare the cheep stuff to, so trusted what Draco said, but still thought Snape was just a cheapskate.

He put the glasses down on the table behind them. "Has he woken up?"

"He's about to." They both looked down at their adopted son, who had an odd tendency to sneeze a few minutes before he woke up, which meant that one of them could get from their bed room to the baby's room before he woke up.

"Dominic." Draco cooed to the infant. Dominic opened his innocently big wine-red eyes and smiled up at his guardians. Harry smiled back and handed him over to Draco before grabbing a glass.

"This is perfect. Isn't it?" He rested his head on Draco's shoulder. The response was a content sigh, and some happy, incoherent babbling from Dominic.

Hermione and Ron danced past, Ron doing a dreadful job, and Hermione trying to coach him and giving words of encouragement.

"You can't dance this clumsily at our wedding. Everyone will be watching." Ron visible paled at this. Draco gave a chuckle, while Harry rolled his eyes.

Across the room Dumbledore sat on a conjured chair and watched everyone silently. His heart lightened at the site of everyone having a great time. He had, of course, cried when Severus and Kath were giving the rings to each other.

He watched as everyone forgot their past suffering, and were oblivious to what was to come in the future…

* * *

**A/N:** Well, that's it. I do hope you liked it. I've never been able to finish a story properly before, so I'm so proud of this one.  
I'm sorry I don't have time to thank everyone who read (and/or reviewed) individually (there's more of you then I thought there would be), so I'll thank you all together. 

_**Thank You, Everybody!**_

I'm going to post the 1st chapter of the sequel up tomorrow.  
Just to refresh your memory, it's called 'The Tales of Werewolves', because I can't think of a better title. :smiles sheepishly: Thanks again!


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